LFP Media, the media division of French soccer’s professional governing body, has announced the launch of a new fantasy trading card game titled Coach Ligue 1.

Users can register for free and then make their own team of 11 players featuring official digital cards of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 players, competing weekly against other players in France and worldwide.

This allows players to win the game's currencies (Ligue 1 Coin and Coachiz), which allow players to buy more player card packs.

The LFP claims that the limited number of cards per player, and their value, is guaranteed by the Chiliz blockchain brand as an official partner of the LFP, a decentralized public blockchain designed for sport.

The Coach Ligue 1 platform has been developed in partnership with gaming and web3 company Unagi.

Jérôme Cazadieu, senior marketing director and editorial director at LFP Media, said: “The launch of Coach Ligue 1 is part of a global strategy to win over new fans.

“Digital assets are a major channel to achieve this, and our product and technical teams are currently working on redesigning our application and our website and mobile sites to offer fans of our leagues a reference-level universe on which they can find information as much as have fun.

“This ambition is in line with our desire to develop the Ligue 1 brand, becoming closer to our customers, and forging more emotional connections.”

Martin Jaglin, digital growth director at LFP Media, added: “Coach Ligue 1 offers a new experience to football fans who can now collect and exchange digital cards of Ligue 1 Uber Eats and Ligue 2 BKT players and then use them each week in a fantasy game to progress throughout the season.

“Other major projects will see the light of day in 2024 to complete a new digital ecosystem designed for the 2024-29 cycle.”