Who pays the most in Ligue 1 when the infirmary fills up? The answer is clear: Paris Saint-Germain leads the ranking, but its costs are dropping significantly. Over the past season, expenses related to injured players reached €58.4M in Ligue 1. PSG accounts for 18.87% with €11.02M, ahead of Marseille (€7.86M) and Monaco (€5.89M). The playing field, meanwhile, has not changed: it is indeed in France, in the top tier, that this battle of margins is played, where every day of absence weighs on the clubs’ finances.
When and how is this cost calculated? The method is standardized by the Men’s European Football Injury Index of Howden Insurance. It multiplies the daily salary by the days of unavailability, considering only injuries lasting more than one day and league matches. Why does the bill rise? Because in Ligue 1, the average injury duration has been increasing since 2020-2021. Paradoxically, PSG records more matches but fewer costly unavailabilities thanks to modernized management. This contrast highlights the central issue: injury management, medical care, and sports insurance become competitive levers, almost as much as the transfer market.
Ligue 1: ranking of clubs spending the most on injured players
The 2024-2025 overview reveals an expected podium, but tighter gaps behind the leader. Thus, PSG’s share decreases though it remains dominant, while Marseille and Monaco consolidate their positions near the top. And since the average severity (duration of absences) impacts the cost, some teams with more modest salaries still see the bill rise.
| Rank | Club | Total injuries | Average severity (days) | Injury cost (€M) | Average cost (€M) | Share of Ligue 1 cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paris Saint-Germain | 30 | 21 | 11.02 | 0.37 | 18.87% |
| 2 | Marseille | 35 | 43 | 7.86 | 0.22 | 13.47% |
| 3 | Monaco | 31 | 35 | 5.89 | 0.19 | 10.08% |
| 4 | Nice | 35 | 41 | 5.16 | 0.15 | 8.83% |
| 5 | Lille | 26 | 43 | 3.00 | 0.12 | 5.14% |
| 6 | Lyon | 22 | 15 | 2.27 | 0.10 | 3.89% |
| 7 | Strasbourg | 20 | 60 | 2.51 | 0.13 | 4.29% |
| 8 | Lens | 37 | 38 | 2.74 | 0.07 | 4.69% |
| 9 | Brest | 39 | 34 | 3.29 | 0.08 | 5.63% |
| 10 | Toulouse | 16 | 37 | 0.94 | 0.06 | 1.61% |
| 11 | Auxerre | 23 | 51 | 1.61 | 0.07 | 2.76% |
| 12 | Rennes | 17 | 22 | 0.92 | 0.05 | 1.58% |
| 13 | Nantes | 25 | 42 | 2.36 | 0.09 | 4.04% |
| 14 | Angers | 30 | 43 | 2.04 | 0.07 | 3.49% |
| 15 | Le Havre | 33 | 33 | 1.14 | 0.03 | 1.94% |
| 16 | Reims | 20 | 62 | 1.88 | 0.09 | 3.23% |
| 17 | Saint-Étienne | 20 | 52 | 1.68 | 0.08 | 2.87% |
| 18 | Montpellier | 24 | 51 | 2.09 | 0.09 | 3.59% |
The picture changes according to three factors: level of player salaries, number of injuries, and average duration. Combining these parameters, the hierarchy becomes clearer and explains surprises like Brest ahead of Lens in total cost.
Top 5 unavailability costs: quick overview and stakes
PSG remains number one, but its cost drops to €11.02M for 30 injuries and 21 days average severity. Marseille follows with 35 injuries and a severity of 43 days, which inflates the bill. Monaco completes the trio, penalized more by duration than volume.
Nice and Lille close this Top 5. The Gym suffers from high severity (41 days). LOSC limits damage to €3.00M thanks to tightly managed squad. This quintet illustrates a key point: beyond sports compensations, the real battle is in daily prevention.
- PSG – High cost, downward trend, optimized rotation.
- OM – Long severity, high salary exposure.
- ASM – Efficiency needs improvement in recovery.
- OGCN – Stable volume, duration to control.
- LOSC – Reference in injury management and training load.
This Top 5 reminds us that workload must be monitored to the millimeter. Otherwise, the bill rises.
How is the cost of an injury calculated in Ligue 1?
The calculation is simple and relentless: daily salary x days of absence. The Howden study is limited to the league and counts only injuries longer than one day. Thus, football clubs with high payrolls face higher budget pressure even for short absences.
Sports insurance then comes into play. Some policies cover part of the salaries beyond a threshold and a deductible. However, the premium follows the roster risk, reducing interest if injuries become recurrent. Ultimately, the insurance tool never replaces a strong prevention policy; it complements it.
PSG case: more matches, less cost
Over five seasons, PSG totaled 299 injuries for €165.11M (average €33.02M/year) with a peak at €51.33M in 2022-2023. Yet, the past season is limited to €11.02M despite more than 50 matches. Rotation, individualized loads, and an expanded staff changed the game.
This turn illustrates a strong idea: cost reduction depends not only on the volume of injuries but on their severity and salary distribution. When key players remain available, the bill decreases. And performance follows.
Trends 2020-2025: increasing injury duration in Ligue 1
Over the last five seasons, the study records 2,914 injuries in Ligue 1, averaging 583 per season. Unlike other leagues, average injury duration has risen since 2020-2021. This shift mechanically increases the expenses line.
Elsewhere, the trend diverges. La Liga reduced its average duration from 20.6 to 15.95 days between 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. Bundesliga shows the least severe unavailabilities over three of the last five seasons. This comparison encourages Ligue 1 to accelerate on medical care and data.
Virtuous clubs: Lens, Lille, Montpellier, Reims, Strasbourg
Several clubs keep costs below average. Lens signed a 2022-2023 season at €1.7M and finished runner-up. Lille totals €15.24M over five years, half of Monaco’s amount. Montpellier, Reims, and Strasbourg confirm this frugal profile.
Why these results? The performance staff of these teams impose a culture of adjusted loads and early warnings. “Julien M.,” a fictional preparer synthesizing these practices, speaks of “daily micro-decisions”: controlled minutes, neuromuscular monitoring, progressive return to play. This discipline often makes the difference in the final duel.
Budget impact and recruitment: the invisible line in Ligue 1 budgets
These costs directly influence the sports budget. Financial departments now simulate a “cost of injuries” just like a signing bonus. And sports insurances never cover everything, especially when volume rises. Thus, operating margin becomes a field of hidden compensations.
The transfer market adapts. Data units weight the history of unavailability in shortlists. Meanwhile, clauses on injury management and robustness indices come into play. Over 38 matchdays, good prevention policy sometimes equals a reinforcement with XXL salary. It’s a true strategic battle.
Action plan to reduce the injury bill
Reducing expenses requires a global strategy. And every club can activate it quickly with concrete and measurable milestones.
- Prevention – Weekly load tests, hamstring profiling, vitamin D screening.
- Schedule – Planned rotation, target minutes per position, lighter microcycles after intensity peaks.
- Medical care – Standardized protocols, quick imaging Day+1, return-to-play criteria.
- Data – Risk models, RPE/HRV alerts, individualized thresholds.
- Sports insurance – Coverage adapted to top salaries, optimized deductibles.
- Salary negotiation – Variables linked to availability, bonuses aligned on presence.
Ultimately, an integrated policy costs less than a series of suffered compensations. And it protects competitiveness.
Ligue 1 paid €58.4M for the infirmary. But some clubs prove that fine management can turn expense into a competitive advantage. In this silent conquest, victory is often decided before kickoff.
Why does PSG remain at the top of the injury cost?
PSG supports a high payroll. Even with fewer absences, the cost remains higher because the calculation multiplies daily salary by duration. However, the trend is downward thanks to better load management and return-to-play processes.
How does the study evaluate unavailability costs?
The Howden index calculates cost by multiplying the daily base salary by the number of absence days, considering only injuries longer than one day, and only domestic league matches.
Which Ligue 1 clubs best control their injury-related expenses?
Lens, Lille, Montpellier, Reims, and Strasbourg regularly show costs below the average. Lens notably limited its bill to €1.7M in 2022-2023 while finishing second in the championship.
Do sports insurances cover the salaries of injured players?
They may cover part of the salaries beyond a deductible and a ceiling. But the premium increases with risk and does not replace a prevention policy. Clubs generally combine insurance and robust medical protocols.
Why is injury duration increasing in Ligue 1?
Several factors add up: calendar density, increased intensity, varied physiological profiles, and travel constraints. Other leagues have shortened durations through data and standardized protocols, encouraging Ligue 1 to accelerate on these levers.