Who Will Win Ligue 1, Finish as Top Scorer and Be the Biggest Disappointment?

Paris Saint-Germain remains the clear favorite to win another Ligue 1 title, Estéban Lepaul deserves to start as the leading scoring candidate, while a changing AS Monaco faces a season filled with uncertainty.

The 2026/27 Ligue 1 season begins with one overwhelming favorite, a defending scoring champion trying to prove his breakout year was no accident and one traditional contender facing considerable pressure. Paris Saint-Germain remains the team to beat, Estéban Lepaul has earned the right to start as the leading Golden Boot pick, and AS Monaco could become the season’s biggest disappointment.

PSG to win a sixth consecutive title

Our title prediction is Paris Saint-Germain.

Luis Enrique’s team enters the campaign after winning a fifth consecutive Ligue 1 title in 2025/26. PSG also successfully defended the Champions League, becoming the first French club to win the competition twice, before opening 2026/27 by beating Aston Villa 2-1 in the UEFA Super Cup.

The squad has become even deeper. Maghnes Akliouche arrived from Monaco and signed through 2031, adding another creative option to an attack that already includes Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola.

RC Lens pushed Paris hard last season, while Marseille and other challengers will hope to close the gap. Still, PSG’s depth, continuity and recent record make any other championship prediction difficult to justify.

Lepaul to finish as top scorer

Our pick to finish as Ligue 1’s top scorer is Estéban Lepaul.

The Rennes striker produced one of the surprises of 2025/26, finishing alone at the top of the scoring chart with 21 goals. He was the only player in Ligue 1 to reach 20 and earned a new contract with Rennes through 2030 after his breakout campaign.

Repeating that number will not be simple. PSG’s attacking rotation contains several potential challengers, while Joaquin Panichelli and other forwards have already shown they can score consistently in France. But Lepaul enters the new season with a clearly defined role and a team built to supply him.

For that reason, the defending top scorer deserves to begin as the favorite.

Could Monaco be the biggest disappointment?

Our riskiest prediction is AS Monaco as the possible disappointment.

The club finished seventh in Ligue 1 last season after two consecutive podium finishes, and the summer brought major changes. Filipe Luís became the new head coach, while Akliouche left for PSG.

Monaco responded by signing Matthis Abline from Nantes through 2031. The 23-year-old striker adds speed and another attacking option, but the team is still entering a transition under a new coach after an already disappointing domestic campaign.

That makes expectations difficult to manage. Monaco has enough talent to return to the European places, but another season outside the Champions League positions would represent a major setback for a club accustomed to competing near the top.

The final predictions

The final picks are PSG as champion, Lepaul as top scorer and Monaco as the potential disappointment.

Paris has the strongest squad and clearest continuity, Lepaul enters as the reigning scoring champion, and Monaco carries the greatest risk of failing to meet expectations. Ligue 1 can always produce surprises, but those three predictions offer the clearest starting point for 2026/27.