View source for Football in France

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}

{{Infobox sport overview
| boxwidth = 250
| title = Football in France
| image = 2016-06-17 Paris-Parc des Princes.jpg
| imagesize = 240px
| image_alt = <!-- alt text, which will be seen when hovering over the image -->
| caption = The [[Parc des Princes]] is the home of [[Paris Saint-Germain]]
| union = [[French Football Federation|FFF]]
| country = France
| sport = association football
| noncountry = <!-- other country this country represents -->
| teamlabel1 = <!-- overrides the "National team" label with custom label -->
| nationalteam = [[France national football team|France (men)]] • [[France women's national football team|France (women)]]
| teamlabel2 = <!-- overrides the "Representative team" label with customer label -->
| repteam = <!-- overrides the representative team link, requires full wikitext syntax -->
| nickname = <!-- nicknames -->
| first = {{start date and age|1863}}
| registered = 2.1 million<ref name="fffstats">{{Cite web |url=https://www.fff.fr/80-le-budget-et-les-chiffres-cles.html |title=Le budget et les chiffres clés |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=[[French Football Federation]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609120200/https://www.fff.fr/80-le-budget-et-les-chiffres-cles.html |archive-date=9 June 2022 |url-status=bot: unknown }}(the last successful archive is 2021 statistics: 1.9 million licensees, 1.8 million players and 15,000 clubs.)</ref>
| clubs = 18,194
| national_list = {{Plainlist|
* [[FIFA World Cup]]
* [[UEFA European Championship]] 
* [[UEFA Nations League]] 
}}
| club_list = {{Collapsible list| 
*'''League''': <br /> [[Ligue 1]]<br />[[Première Ligue]]<br />[[Ligue 2]]<br />[[Championnat National]]   <br />[[Championnat National 2]] <br />[[Championnat National 3]] <br /> [[Régional 1]] <br /> [[Régional 2]]
*'''Cups''': <br /> [[Coupe de France]] <br /> [[Coupe de France féminine]] <br /> [[Trophée des Champions]] <br /> [[Trophée des Championnes]]
}}
| intl_list = {{Plain list| 
* [[FIFA Club World Cup]]
* [[UEFA Champions League]] 
* [[UEFA Women's Champions League]]
* [[UEFA Europa League]] 
* [[UEFA Conference League]] 
* [[UEFA Super Cup]] 
}}
| match = 
| league = 
}}
[[File:France football 1900.jpg|240px|thumb|[[France national football team|France]] at the [[1900 Summer Olympics]].]]
[[Association football]] is the most popular sport in [[France]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zttmxnb/revision/1 |title=Popular sports in France |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-date=22 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022105012/https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zttmxnb/revision/1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.topendsports.com/world/countries/france.htm|title=Sport in France|work=Topend Sports|access-date=7 June 2016|archive-date=22 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122024100/https://www.topendsports.com/world/countries/france.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2024, 53% of people in France declared an interest in football, with 26% being very interested.<ref>{{Cite web |last=TGM Research |title=TGM Euro Survey in France 2024 |url=https://tgmresearch.com/euro-2024-insights-in-france.html |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=TGM Research |language=en-gb}}</ref> The [[French Football Federation]] (FFF, Fédération Française de Football) is the national governing body and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of association football in the country, both professional and amateur.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/a-french-paradox-multicultural-celebrities-are-popular-but-so-is-le-pen-6284018.html|title=A French paradox: multicultural celebrities are popular, but so is Le Pen|work=The Independent|date=January 2012|access-date=21 December 2014|archive-date=24 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224155100/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/a-french-paradox-multicultural-celebrities-are-popular-but-so-is-le-pen-6284018.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/20/sports/worldcup/frances-aversion-to-its-national-soccer-team.html|title=France's Aversion To Its National Soccer Team|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=19 June 2014 |access-date=21 December 2014|archive-date=10 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200110020551/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/20/sports/worldcup/frances-aversion-to-its-national-soccer-team.html|url-status=live |last1=Krasnoff |first1=Lindsay Sarah }}</ref> The federation organizes the [[Coupe de France]] and is responsible for appointing the management of the [[France national football team|men's]], [[France women's national football team|women's]], and [[France national youth football team|youth]] national football teams in [[France]]. The federation gives responsibility of [[Ligue 1]] and [[Ligue 2]] to the {{lang|fr|[[Ligue de Football Professionnel]]|italic=no}} (LFP) who oversee, organize, and manage the country's top two leagues. The French Football Federation also supervises the [[Overseas departments and territories of France|overseas departments and territories]] leagues and hosts football club [[AS Monaco FC|AS Monaco]], a club based in the independent sovereign state of [[Monaco]]. In 2022, the FFF had 2.1 million licensees, 1.8 million players and 14,000 registered clubs, the second highest number of registered players in [[Football in Europe|Europe]] after [[Football in Germany|Germany]].<ref name="fffstats"/>

The first football club was introduced to France in 1863 as described in a newspaper article by ''[[The Scotsman]]'', which stated "A number of English gentlemen living in Paris have lately organised a football club... The football contests take place in the [[Bois de Boulogne]], by permission of the authorities and surprise the French amazingly."<ref>The Scotsman newspaper, 22 December 1863, page 8</ref> Modern football was introduced nine years later in 1872 by English sailors playing in [[Le Havre]] in 1872.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifhof.com/wn/history.asp|title=History of Football|publisher=Ifhof.com|access-date=21 December 2014|archive-date=2 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902035108/http://www.ifhof.com/wn/history.asp|url-status=live}}</ref>

Today, football in France is especially being played successfully by people of non-European origin, in particular [[Black people in France|people of Subsaharan origin]] and [[Arabs in France|people from North Africa]] who are overrepresented in the [[Banlieue]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.impulsion75.fr/actualit%C3%A9s-d-insertion-des-jeunes-en-difficult%C3%A9/la-place-du-sport-dans-les-quartiers-populaires-1581598033.html|title=La place du sport dans les quartiers populaires|publisher=Impulsion|access-date=14 October 2023|archive-date=24 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024004554/https://www.impulsion75.fr/actualit%C3%A9s-d-insertion-des-jeunes-en-difficult%C3%A9/la-place-du-sport-dans-les-quartiers-populaires-1581598033.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The importance of players of non-European origin is also reflected in the composition of the French World Cup winning team where only six of the 23 players were of European descent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/07/who-wins-when-france-claims-the-world-cup/565508/|title=Who Wins When France Claims the World Cup?|date=19 July 2018 |publisher=The Athletic|access-date=14 October 2023|archive-date=24 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024004550/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/07/who-wins-when-france-claims-the-world-cup/565508/|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref>

France is a football superpower; by its footballers playing around the world, according to the [[CIES Football Observatory]], in 2023, France is the second country in the world behind [[Football in Brazil|Brazil]], with the most footballers playing abroad with 1,033.<ref>{{cite web | title=Brazil breaks ranking record of exported players. France rank second, England fourth | date=2023-09-26 | url=https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2023/05/19/brazil-breaks-ranking-record-exported-players-france-rank-second-england-fourth/ | access-date=2023-09-26 | archive-date=2 December 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202184234/https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2023/05/19/brazil-breaks-ranking-record-exported-players-france-rank-second-england-fourth/ | url-status=live }}</ref> According to [[Statista]], of the estimated 130,000 professional football players worldwide, 6,368 originated from France, the third highest number in the world after [[Football in Brazil|Brazil]] (10,694) and [[Football in Mexico|Mexico]] (9,223).<ref>{{cite web | title=Number of men's professional soccer players worldwide in 2021, by country of origin | date=2023-09-26 | url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1283927/number-pro-soccer-players-by-country/ | access-date=2023-09-26 | archive-date=23 September 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230923003206/https://www.statista.com/statistics/1283927/number-pro-soccer-players-by-country/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

==League system==
{{see also|French football league system}}

===Ligue de Football Professionnel===
[[File:Stade Vélodrome (20150405).jpg|thumb|right|The [[Stade Vélodrome]], home of [[Olympique de Marseille]], before a match against [[Paris Saint-Germain F.C.|Paris Saint-Germain]] in 2015.]]
The top two divisions of French football, [[Ligue 1]] and [[Ligue 2]], are governed by the {{lang|fr|[[Ligue de Football Professionnel]]|italic=no}}. The league is responsible for organizing, overseeing and managing the top two leagues and is also responsible for the 36 professional football clubs that contest football in France (18 in Ligue 1 and 18 in Ligue 2).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/sports/soccer/in-france-paris-st-germain-is-a-league-apart.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|title=In France Paris St. Germain Is A League Apart|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=6 March 2013 |access-date=21 December 2014|archive-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112031957/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/sports/soccer/in-france-paris-st-germain-is-a-league-apart.html?pagewanted=all|url-status=live |last1=Borden |first1=Sam }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304069604579155350843399342|title=Top French Soccer Clubs Call Tax Strike|author=Inti Landauro and William Horobin|date=25 October 2013|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=21 December 2014|archive-date=2 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602132523/http://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304069604579155350843399342|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/1161-april-2013/9618-victory-for-french-fans-over-tv-scheduling|title=When Saturday Comes&nbsp;– Victory for French fans over TV scheduling|author=WSC Daily|publisher=Wsc.co.uk|access-date=21 December 2014|archive-date=22 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722155423/http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/1161-april-2013/9618-victory-for-french-fans-over-tv-scheduling|url-status=live}}</ref>

Ligue 1 is the French professional league for football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the [[French football league system]]. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of [[promotion and relegation]] with Ligue 2. Ligue 1 is one of the top national leagues, currently ranked [[UEFA coefficient|fifth in Europe]] behind the English [[Premier League]], Italian [[Serie A]], Spanish [[La Liga]] and German [[Bundesliga]]. Ligue 1 was inaugurated on 11 September 1932 under the name ''National'' before switching to ''Division 1'' after a year of existence. The name lasted until 2002 before switching to its current name. The [[List of French football champions|current champions of France]] are [[Paris Saint-Germain FC|Paris Saint-Germain]], who won a record thirteenth title in [[2024–25 Ligue 1|2025]].

Ligue 2 is the second division of French football. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of [[promotion and relegation]] with the [[Championnat National]]. The league was created in 1934, a year after Ligue 1 and consisted of 23 clubs that were divided into two groups, Nord and Sud.

[[Ligue 1]] club Paris Saint-Germain ranked fourth place in the top ten most popular sports clubs on social media in the world as of 7 February 2024:<ref>{{cite web | url=https://jobsinfootball.com/blog/most-supported-football-clubs-in-the-world/ | title=The Top 10 Most Supported Football Clubs in the World }}</ref>
{{row counter|{| class{{=}}"wikitable sortable"
!Rank!!Football club!!Country!!Followers
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]] || [[Spain]] || 360.5 million
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] || [[Spain]] || 318.8 million
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] || [[England]] || 207 million
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || '''[[Paris Saint-Germain FC|Paris Saint-Germain]]''' || [[France]] || 163 million
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Juventus FC|Juventus]] || [[Italy]] || 147.4 million
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] || [[England]] || 139.7 million
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] || [[England]] || 136.7 million
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] || [[England]] || 131.6 million
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] || [[Germany]] || 126.5 million
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;"| _row_count || [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] || [[England]] || 99.2 million
|} }}

===Championnat National===
The Championnat National is the third division of French football. Though the league has several clubs that are members of the Ligue de Football Professionnel, it is not governed by the organization primarily because of the LFP's refusal to divide its profits into smaller shares, so they can collaborate with the many amateur clubs in the league to help them become professional. The French Football Federation moderates the league, which was founded in 1993 under the name ''National 1''. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of [[promotion and relegation]] with the [[Championnat de France amateur]].

===Championnat National 2===
The Championnat National 2 is the fourth division of French football and normally features 72 football clubs. Most clubs that participate in the league are amateur clubs, but a small number of clubs are semi-professional. The CFA consists of 72 clubs spread into 4 parallel groups of 18. It is open to the best reserve teams in France and amateur clubs in France, although only the amateur clubs are eligible for promotion to the Championnat National. The highest-placed amateur team in each pool are promoted, replaced by the 4 lowest-placed in the Championnat National.

===Championnat National 3===
The Championnat National 3 is the 5th division in French football and normally consists of 168 teams in 12 groups of 14 organised to align with the [[French football league system#Regional leagues|regional leagues]]. The twelve teams (both amateur and reserves of professional teams in higher divisions) that top their league are promoted to Championnat National 2. Relegation from Championnat National 3 is defined by both position in the group and the region the club belongs to. Normally, one club is relegated to each regional league that feeds that group.

===Lower divisions===
Some of regional leagues are organised and managed by the ''Ligue du Football Amateur''. The LFA, under the watch of the French Football Federation, is responsible for administering and federating the actions of the regional and district leagues.

=== Women's football ===
{{main| Women's football in France}}

=== Première Ligue ===
{{Main article|Première Ligue}}
The [[Première Ligue]] is the top league for [[Women's association football|women's football]] clubs in France. The Première Ligue is ranked the best league in Europe according to [[UEFA]]. The league was originally created in 1918 by [[Alice Milliat]] and ran for 12 successful seasons until [[Bans of women's association football#France|women's football was banned in France]]. The league was refounded in 1974 and officially reinstated in 1975.

It is contested by 12 clubs. The league operates on a system of [[promotion and relegation]] with lower leagues and is governed by the [[French Football Federation]]. The league is known as D1 Arkema. [[Olympique Lyonnais Féminin|Lyon]] has won the most league titles, with 18.

===Lower divisions===
[[Division 2 Féminine]] is the second-tier of French women's football, contested by 12 clubs. Relegation is to [[Division 3 Féminine]], contested by 24 fully professional clubs split into two groups. The fourth level is Régional 1 Féminine.

===Overseas leagues===
The leagues based in the [[overseas departments and territories of France]] are run by their respective associations under the watch of the French Football Federation. Under the rules of the FFF, clubs in the leagues are allowed to participate in confederation competitions based on their regional locations. For example, the champion of the [[Réunion Premier League]] is allowed inclusion into the [[CAF Champions League]].

==Cup competitions==
[[File:Second trophée de la Coupe de la Ligue.JPG|thumb|right|[[Coupe de la Ligue]] trophy.]]
The most important cup competition in France is the [[Coupe de France]]. However, several other national cups are targeted at clubs at different levels.

*The [[Coupe de France]] is the premier [[Single-elimination tournament|knockout]] cup competition in French football. It is open to all amateur and professional [[Association football|football]] clubs in France, including clubs based in the [[Overseas departments and territories of France|overseas departments and territories]]. The final is played at the [[Stade de France]] and, during the [[2016–17 Coupe de France|2016–17 season]], celebrated its 100th anniversary.
*The [[Coupe de la Ligue]] was the second major cup competition in France. It was known outside France as the French League Cup and was a [[Single-elimination tournament|knockout]] league cup competition organised by the Ligue de Football Professionnel. Unlike the Coupe de France, it was only open to professional clubs who were members of the LFP. The competition was discontinued in 2020 to prevent fixture congestion.
*The [[Trophée des Champions]] is played each July as a one-off match between the Coupe de France winners and the Ligue 1 champions.
*[[Regions of France|Regional]] amateur leagues of France organise their own cup competitions that are run by the French Football Federation. For example, the Coupe Bourgogne only features amateur clubs that are based in the region of [[Burgundy]].
*Men's youth cups include the [[Coupe Gambardella]], [[Coupe Nationale]], and the Coupe Fédérale. The Coupe Gambardella cup competition held between the under-19s of the French football clubs. The Coupe Nationale holds dual competitions for the under-13 and under-15 teams of football clubs, while the Coupe Fédérale holds a national cup competition for under-16 teams.
*The [[Coupe de l'Outre-Mer]] is a football cup competition that was created in 2008. It was designed to have the national football teams of the overseas territories compete against each other

===Women's===

* The [[Challenge de France|Coupe de France féminine]], a premier cup competition reserved exclusively for French football clubs. The competition is open to all professional and non-professional teams in the country. 
* Trophée des Championnes, an annual match between the league champions of Division 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France. The league runners-up play if the same team won the league and the cup.
* Coupe Nationale
* Coupe Fédérale
* The Coupe National holds a youth cup competition for the under-14 teams, while the Coupe Fédérale holds cup competitions for the under-13 and under-16 teams.

==Competition records==

===UEFA Champions League===
The following teams have qualified for the last eight of the [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup / UEFA Champions League]].

*[[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]] ([[European Cup 1989-90|1989–90]] – Semi-finals, [[European Cup 1990–91|1990–91]] – ''Runners-up'', [[UEFA Champions League 1992-93|1992–93]] – '''Champions''', [[UEFA Champions League 2011-12|2011–12]] – Quarter-finals)
*[[AS Monaco FC|Monaco]] ([[1993–94 UEFA Champions League|1993–94]] – Semi-finals, [[1997–98 UEFA Champions League|1997–98]] – Semi-finals, [[2003–04 UEFA Champions League|2003–04]] – ''Runners-up'', [[2016–17 UEFA Champions League|2016–17]] – Semi-finals)
*[[AS Saint-Étienne|Saint-Étienne]] ([[1974–75 European Cup|1974–75]] – Semi-finals, [[1975–76 European Cup|1975–76]] – ''Runners-up'', [[1976–77 European Cup|1976–77]] – Quarter-finals)
*[[Olympique Lyonnais|Lyon]] ([[2003–04 UEFA Champions League|2003–04]] – Quarter-finals, [[2004–05 UEFA Champions League|2004–05]] – Quarter-finals, [[2005–06 UEFA Champions League|2005–06]] – Quarter-finals, [[2009–10 UEFA Champions League|2009–10]] – Semi-finals, [[2019–20 UEFA Champions League|2019–20]] – Semi-finals)
*[[Stade de Reims|Reims]] ([[European Cup 1955-56|1955–56]] – ''Runners-up'', [[1958–59 European Cup|1958–59]] – ''Runners-up'', [[1962–63 European Cup|1962–63]] – Quarter-finals)
*[[FC Girondins de Bordeaux|Bordeaux]] ([[1984–85 European Cup|1984–85]] – Semi-finals, [[2009–10 UEFA Champions League|2009–10]] – Quarter-finals)
*[[Paris Saint-Germain FC|Paris Saint-Germain]] ([[1994–95 UEFA Champions League|1994–95]] – Semi-finals, [[2012–13 UEFA Champions League|2012–13]] – Quarter-finals, [[2013–14 UEFA Champions League|2013–14]] – Quarter-finals, [[2015–16 UEFA Champions League|2015–16]] – Quarter-finals, [[2019–20 UEFA Champions League|2019–20]] – ''Runners-up'', [[2020–21 UEFA Champions League|2020–21]] – Semi-finals, [[2023–24 UEFA Champions League|2023–24]] – Semi-finals, [[2024–25 UEFA Champions League|2024–25]] – '''Champions''')
*[[FC Nantes|Nantes]] ([[1995–96 UEFA Champions League|1995–96]] – Semi-finals)
*[[AJ Auxerre|Auxerre]] ([[1996–97 UEFA Champions League|1996–97]] – Quarter-finals)

=== UEFA Women's Champions League ===
{{Main article|UEFA Women's Champions League}}

* [[Olympique Lyonnais Féminin|Lyon]] ('''Winners''': [[2010–11 UEFA Women's Champions League|2010–11]], [[2011–12 UEFA Women's Champions League|2011–12]], [[2016–17 UEFA Women's Champions League|2016–17]], [[2017–18 UEFA Women's Champions League|2017–18]], [[2018–19 UEFA Women's Champions League|2018–19]], [[2019–20 UEFA Women's Champions League|2019–20]], [[2021–22 UEFA Women's Champions League|2021–22]]; ''Runners-up'': [[2009–10 UEFA Women's Champions League|2009–10]], [[2012–13 UEFA Women's Champions League|2012–13]], [[2023–24 UEFA Women's Champions League|2023–24]]; Semi-finals: [[2024–25 UEFA Women's Champions League|2024–25]]; Quarter-finals: [[2020–21 UEFA Women's Champions League|2020–21]], [[2022–23 UEFA Women's Champions League|2022–23]])
* [[Paris Saint-Germain Féminine|Paris Saint-Germain]] (''Runners-up'': [[2014–15 UEFA Women's Champions League|2014–15]], [[2016–17 UEFA Women's Champions League|2016–17]]; Semi-finals: [[2023–24 UEFA Women's Champions League|2023–24]])
* [[Paris FC (women)|Paris FC]] (Semi-finals: [[2012–13 UEFA Women's Champions League|2012–13]]; Quarter-finals: [[2010–11 UEFA Women's Champions League|2010–11]])
* [[Montpellier HSC (women)|Montpellier]] (Quarter-finals: [[2009–10 UEFA Women's Champions League|2009–10]], [[2017–18 UEFA Women's Champions League|2017–18]])

==National teams==
[[Image:Zidane_Zizu.jpg|thumb|right|263x263px|[[Zinedine Zidane]], member of the national team from 1994 to 2006.]]
{{see also|France national football team|France women's national football team|France national youth football team}}

The [[France national football team]] represents France in international football.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/20/sports/worldcup/frances-aversion-to-its-national-soccer-team.html|title=France's Aversion To Its National Soccer Team|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=19 June 2014 |access-date=21 December 2014|archive-date=10 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200110020551/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/20/sports/worldcup/frances-aversion-to-its-national-soccer-team.html|url-status=live |last1=Krasnoff |first1=Lindsay Sarah }}</ref> France was one of the four European teams that participated at the [[1930 FIFA World Cup|inaugural World Cup in 1930]] and are one of eight national teams to have won the competition, which they did in 1998 when they hosted the Cup, defeating [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] 3–0 in the [[1998 FIFA World Cup Final|final]]. They won their second world title 20 years later, after defeating [[Croatia national football team|Croatia]] 4–2 in the [[2018 FIFA World Cup Final|final]] of the [[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018 edition]] in Russia. France also won two [[UEFA European Championship|European Championships]] in [[UEFA Euro 1984|1984]] and [[UEFA Euro 2000|2000]], and hosted the tournament on three occasions, including their victorious 1984 campaign. Following France's [[2001 FIFA Confederations Cup|2001 Confederations Cup]] victory, they became the first national team to win the three most important men's titles organised by [[FIFA]]: the [[FIFA World Cup]], the [[FIFA Confederations Cup]], and the [[Football at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Tournament]]. This would be followed with [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] and [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]]'s victories at the Summer Olympics in 2004 and 2016. France additionally went on to win a [[UEFA Nations League]] title in [[2021 UEFA Nations League Finals|2021]].
[[File:Eugénie Le Sommer P1740536 (47963889411) (cropped).jpg|thumb|217x217px|[[Eugénie Le Sommer]], member of the national team since 2009.]]
The [[France women's national football team]] represents the country in international [[women's association football|women's football]]. France initially struggled on the international stage failing to qualify for three of the first [[FIFA Women's World Cup]]s and the six straight [[UEFA Women's Championship|UEFA European Championships]] before reaching the quarter-finals in the [[1997 UEFA Women's Championship|1997 edition of the competition]]. However, since the beginning of the new [[millennium]], France have become a mid-tier national team and one of the most consistent in [[UEFA|Europe]], having qualified for their first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup in [[2003 FIFA Women's World Cup|2003]] and reaching the quarter-finals in the last three consecutive European Championships. They also hosted the [[2019 FIFA Women's World Cup|2019 Women's World Cup]], reaching the quarter-finals.

The [[France national youth football team]]s consists of age-specific national teams beginning with the [[France national under-16 football team]] and ending with the [[France national under-21 football team]]. Since the coaching tenure of [[Aimé Jacquet]], there is an unwritten rule among [[France national football team|senior national team]] coaches that players called up to the national team must have had prior international experience with the under-21 team.

===Overseas departments national teams===
The following [[Overseas departments and territories of France|overseas department]] national teams act as [[feeder team]]s for the [[France national football team]]. All teams are run by their respective federation under the authority of the French Football Federation.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: left;"
! National team
! Elo Ranking
! Manager
! Stadium
! Member Association(s)
|-
|[[French Guiana national football team|French Guiana]]
|159
|{{flagicon|FRA}} {{sortname|Ghislain|Zulémaro}}
|[[Stade de Baduel]]
|[[CONCACAF]] and [[Caribbean Football Union|CFU]]
|-
|[[Guadeloupe national football team|Guadeloupe]]
|91
|{{flagicon|FRA}} {{sortname|Roger|Salnot}}
|[[Stade René Serge Nabajoth]]
|[[CONCACAF]] and [[Caribbean Football Union|CFU]]
|-
|[[Martinique national football team|Martinique]]
|115
|{{flagicon|FRA}} {{sortname|Theodore|Antonin}}
|[[Stade d'Honneur de Dillon]]
|[[CONCACAF]] and [[Caribbean Football Union|CFU]]
|-
|[[Réunion national football team|Réunion]]
|138
|TBD
|[[Stade Jean-Ivoula]]
|[[Confederation of African Football|CAF]]
|-
|[[Saint Martin national football team|Saint Martin]]
|193
|{{flagicon|FRA}} {{sortname|Andy|Gerard}}
|TBD
|[[CONCACAF]] and [[Caribbean Football Union|CFU]]
|-
|}
{{clear}}
[[Image:Lilian Thuram - 001.jpg|thumb|left|120px|[[Lilian Thuram]], from [[Guadeloupe]], is the nation's second-most capped male football player.]]
As an overseas department of the [[France|French Republic]], each national team is not a member of [[FIFA]], therefore they are not eligible to enter the [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]]. However, since inhabitants of the overseas departments are French citizens, players are eligible to play for the [[France national football team]]. Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Martin, and French Guiana are associate members of [[CONCACAF]] and are full members of the [[Caribbean Football Union]], and are thus eligible for all competitions organized by both, while Réunion are associate members of [[Confederation of African Football|CAF]]. Indeed, according to the status of the FFF (article 34, paragraph 6): ''"[...]Under the control of related continental confederations, and with the agreement of the FFF, those leagues can organize international sport events at a regional level or set up teams in order to participate to them."''

A special rule of the [[CONCACAF Gold Cup]] only allows players to join the team if they have not played for France during the previous five years. On the other hand, any player joining the team is allowed to join the France national team afterward with no time restrictions.

The use of [[Overseas departments and territories of France|overseas department]] players has been extremely beneficial for the France national team. [[Lilian Thuram]] and [[Bernard Lama]], who were born in [[Guadeloupe]] and [[Martinique]], respectively, were a part of the winning team at the [[1998 FIFA World Cup]]. Also on the team were [[Thierry Henry]] and [[Bernard Diomède]], who, though born in metropolitan France, were descendants of parents from overseas departments. Currently, [[Florent Malouda]] (French Guiana), [[William Gallas]], [[Mikaël Silvestre]], [[Michaël Ciani]] (Guadeloupe), [[Nicolas Anelka]] (Martinique), and [[Guillaume Hoarau]] and [[Florent Sinama Pongolle]] (Réunion) are members of the national team who either hail from or whose families hail from the overseas departments.

== French football stadiums ==

Stadiums with a capacity of 40,000 or higher are included.
{{row counter|{| class{{=}}"wikitable sortable"
!#!!Image!!Stadium!!Capacity!!City!!Region!!Home Team!!Opened!!Notes
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;" | _row_count||[[File:Stade de France 1000 023.jpg|160px]]|| [[Stade de France]] || 81,338 || [[Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis|Saint-Denis]] || [[Île-de-France]] || [[France national football team]] || 1998 || [[UEFA stadium categories|UEFA Category 4 stadium]]
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;" | _row_count||[[File:Stade Vélodrome (20150405).jpg|160px]]||[[Stade Vélodrome]]||67,394||[[Marseille]]|| [[Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]] || [[Olympique de Marseille]]|| 1937 || UEFA Category 4 stadium
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;" | _row_count||[[File:Parc_OL.jpg|160px]]
|[[Parc Olympique Lyonnais]]||59,186||[[Décines-Charpieu]] || [[Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes]] || [[Olympique Lyonnais]]||2016 || UEFA Category 4 stadium
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;" | _row_count||[[File:Lille vs PSG 2019 - Stade Pierre Mauroy.jpg|160px]] ||[[Stade Pierre-Mauroy]] || 50,157 || [[Villeneuve-d'Ascq]] || [[Hauts-de-France]] || [[Lille OSC]]||2012 || UEFA Category 4 stadium
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;" | _row_count||[[File:2016-06-17 Paris-Parc des Princes.jpg|160px]]||[[Parc des Princes]]||48,583 || [[Paris]]|| [[Île-de-France]] || [[Paris Saint-Germain FC]]||1972 || UEFA Category 4 stadium
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;" | _row_count||[[File:Bordeaux Larnaca Nouveau Stade 4.jpg|160px]]||[[Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux|Matmut Atlantique]]||42,115||[[Bordeaux]] || [[Nouvelle-Aquitaine]] || [[Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux|FC Girondins de Bordeaux]]||2015 || UEFA Category 4 stadium
|-
| style{{=}}"text-align:center;" | _row_count||[[File:AS Saint-Étienne v Olympique Lyonnais, 10 November 2013.jpg|160px]]||[[Stade Geoffroy-Guichard]]||41,965||[[Saint-Étienne]]|| [[Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes]] || [[AS Saint-Étienne]]||1931 ||
|} }}

==List of club owners==
{{Update|part=section|date=February 2024}}

===Ligue 1===
{{Expand list|date=May 2017}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Club
!Owner(s)
!Estimated combined net worth
!Source of wealth
|-
|[[Stade Brestois 29|Brest]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Denis Le Saint]]
|
|Fruits and Vegetables
|-
|[[Clermont Foot|Clermont]]
|{{flagicon|SUI}} Ahmet Schaefer
|
|
|-
|[[Le Havre AC|Le Havre]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Vincent Volpe]]
|
|
|-
|[[RC Lens|Lens]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Joseph Oughourlian]]<br />{{flagicon|USA}} [[Amber Capital]]<br />
|
|Investments
|-
|[[Lille OSC|Lille]]
|{{flagicon|LUX}} [[Merlyn Partners]]
|
|Investments
|-
|[[FC Lorient|Lorient]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Loïc Féry]] <br />{{flagicon|USA}} [[Bill Foley]]<br />
|300 M€
|Investments
|-
|[[Olympique Lyonnais|Lyon]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Eagle Football Holdings LLC]]<br />{{flagicon|USA}} [[John Textor]]<br />
|
|
|-
|[[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Frank McCourt (executive)|Frank McCourt]]
|1,2 Mds$
|Sport investments
|-
|[[FC Metz|Metz]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Bernard Serin]]
|
|Steel Products
|-
|[[AS Monaco|Monaco]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Dmitry Rybolovlev]]
|7,4 Mds$
|Specialized chemicals, investments
|-
|[[Montpellier HSC|Montpellier]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Laurent Nicollin]]
|150 M€
|Waste management
|-
|[[FC Nantes|Nantes]]
|{{flagicon|POL}}{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Waldemar Kita]]
|170 M€
|Optical
|-
|[[OGC Nice|Nice]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Jim Ratcliffe]]
|
|Chemical industries
|-
|[[Paris Saint-Germain F.C.|Paris]]
|{{flagicon|QAT}} [[Qatar Sports Investments]] <br />{{flagicon|USA}} Arctos Partners
|4.4B$<ref>{{Cite web |title=Deloitte Football Money League 2025 |url=https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/services/financial-advisory/analysis/deloitte-football-money-league.html |access-date=2025-02-18 |website=www.deloitte.com |language=en}}</ref>
|Gas & oil
|-
|[[Stade de Reims|Reims]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Jean-Pierre Caillot]]
|
|Transport
|-
|[[Stade Rennais|Rennes]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Francois Pinault]]
|23 Mds€
|Luxury
|-
|[[RC Strasbourg Alsace|Strasbourg]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[BlueCo]]

|
|
|-
|[[Toulouse F.C.|Toulouse]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[RedBird Capital Partners]]
|
|Investments
|-
|}

===Ligue 2===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Club
!Owner(s)
!Estimated combined net worth
!Source of wealth
|-
|[[AC Ajaccio|Ajaccio]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Alain Orsoni]] 
|
|
|-
|[[Amiens SC|Amiens]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Bernard Joannin]]
|
|Retail
|-
|[[Angers SCO|Angers]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Saïd Chabane]]
|
|
|-
|[[FC Annecy|Annecy]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Sebastien Faraglia]]
|
|
|-
|[[A.J. Auxerre|Auxerre]]
|{{flagicon|CHN}} [[James Zhou]]
|
|
|-
|[[SC Bastia|Bastia]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Familles Luiggi et Ferrandi]]
|
|
|-
|[[FC Bordeaux|Bordeaux]]
|{{flagicon|LUX}} {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Gérard Lopez (businessman)|Gérard Lopez]]
|
|Investments
|-
|[[Stade Malherbe Caen|Caen]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Oaktree Capital]]
|
|Investments
|-
|[[US Concarneau|Concarneau]]
|
|
|
|-
|[[Union Sportive Littoral Dunkerque|Dunkerque]]
|{{flagicon|TUR}} [[Amissos / Yildirim]]
|
|
|-
|[[Grenoble Foot 38|Grenoble]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Stéphane Rosnoblet]]
|
|Supermarket
|-
|[[Guingamp]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Noël Le Graët]]
|
|
|-
|[[Stade Lavallois|Laval]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Laurent Lairy]]
|
|
|-
|[[Paris F.C.|Paris FC]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Pierre Ferracci]]<br />{{flagicon|BHR}} [[Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company]]<br />{{flagicon|SRI}} [[Allirajah Subaskaran]]<br />{{flagicon|ARM}} [[Noah Football Group]]
|
|
|-
|[[Pau FC|Pau]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Bernard Laporte-Fray]]
|
|
|-
|[[US Quevilly Rouen Métropole|Quevilly]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Michel Mallet]]
|
|
|-
|[[Rodez AF|Rodez]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Pierre Olivier Murat]]
|
|
|-
|[[ASSE|Saint-Étienne]]
|{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Kilmer Sports Venture]]
|
|
|-
|[[Espérance sportive Troyes Aube Champagne|Troyes]]
|{{flagicon|UAE}} [[City Football Group]]
|
|Sport investments
|-
|[[FC Valenciennes|Valenciennes]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Sport Republic]]
|
|[[United Group]]
|-
|}

===National===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Club
!Owner(s)
!Estimated combined net worth
!Source of wealth
|-
|[[Berrichonne Chateauroux|Chateauroux]]
|{{Flagicon|UAE}} [[United World Group]]<br />{{flagicon|UAE}} [[Abdullah bin Mossad]]
| 
|Sport Investments
|-
|[[Dijon FCO|Dijon]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Olivier Delcourt]]
|
|
|-
|[[Le Mans FC|Le Mans]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Thierry Gomez]]
|
|-
|[[AS Nancy|Nancy]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Chien Lee]]
|
|Sport Investments
|-
|[[Nîmes Olympique|Nîmes]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Rani Assaf]]
|
|Telecommunications
|-
|[[Chamois Niortais|Niort]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Ethan Hanouna]]
|
|
|-
|[[Red Star F.C.|Red Star]]
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[777 Partners]]
| 
|
|-
|[[CS Sedan Ardennes|Sedan]]
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} 
| 
|
|-
|[[FC Rouen|Rouen]]
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} 
| 
|
|-
|[[F.C. Sochaux Montbelliard|Sochaux]]
|{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Romain Peugeot]]
|
|
|-
|[[FC Versailles 78|Versailles]]
|{{Flagicon|FRA}} [[Alexandre Mulliez]]
|
|
|}

==Support==

===Public image of clubs===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="4" | Most and least liked [[Ligue 1]] clubs (L'Actu Sport, 2022)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://lactusport.fr/le-barometre-des-clubs-preferes-de-ligue-1/ | title=Le baromètre des clubs préférés de Ligue 1 &#124; l'Actu Sport | date=7 March 2022 }}</ref>
|-
! rowspan="2" | Club
! colspan="2" | %
! rowspan="2" | Net %
|-
! Like
! Dislike
|-
| [[Angers SCO|Angers]]
| {{yes2|15.3%}}
| style="text-align:center" | 13.0%
| {{yes|+2.3%}}
|-
| [[FC Girondins de Bordeaux|Bordeaux]]
| style="text-align:center" | 13.3%
| {{no2|31.7%}}
| {{no|–18.4%}}
|-
| [[Stade Brestois 29|Brest]]
| {{yes2|16.3%}}
| style="text-align:center" | 11.3%
| {{yes|+5.0%}}
|-
| [[Clermont Foot|Clermont]]
| {{yes2|19.2%}}
| style="text-align:center" | 6.4%
| {{yes|+12.8%}}
|-
| [[RC Lens|Lens]]
| {{yes|57.1%}}
| style="text-align:center" | 10.8%
| {{yes|+46.3%}}
|-
| [[Lille OSC|Lille]]
| style="text-align:center" | 17.6%
| {{no2|21.0%}}
| {{no|–1.4%}}
|-
| [[FC Lorient|Lorient]]
| {{yes2|15.7%}}
| style="text-align:center" | 9.8%
| {{yes|+5.9%}}
|-
| [[Olympique Lyonnais|Lyon]]
| style="text-align:center" | 16.3%
| {{no2|48.5%}}
| {{no|–32.2%}}
|-
| [[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]]
| style="text-align:center" | 10.5%
| {{no2|45.4%}}
| {{no|–34.9%}}
|-
| [[FC Metz|Metz]]
| style="text-align:center" | 5.1%
| {{no2|21.0%}}
| {{no|–15.9%}}
|-
| [[AS Monaco FC|Monaco]]
| {{yes2|33.4%}}
| style="text-align:center" | 8.3%
| {{yes|+25.1%}}
|-
| [[Montpellier HSC|Montpellier]]
| style="text-align:center" | 15.5%
| {{no2|18.5%}}
| {{no|–3.0%}}
|-
| [[FC Nantes|Nantes]]
| {{yes2|32.6%}}
| style="text-align:center" | 20.4%
| {{yes|+12.2%}}
|-
| [[OGC Nice|Nice]]
| style="text-align:center" | 21.1%
| {{no2|37.5%}}
| {{no|–16.4%}}
|-
| [[Paris Saint-Germain FC|Paris Saint-Germain]]
| style="text-align:center" | 10.7%
| {{no|54.3%}}
| {{no|–43.6%}}
|-
| [[Stade de Reims|Reims]]
| {{yes2|11.7%}}
| style="text-align:center" | 10.6%
| {{yes|+1.1%}}
|-
| [[Stade Rennais FC|Rennes]]
| {{yes2|26.6%}}
| style="text-align:center" | 12.9%
| {{yes|+13.7%}}
|-
| [[AS Saint-Étienne|Saint-Étienne]]
| {{yes2|29.6%}}
| style="text-align:center" | 29.2%
| {{yes|+0.2%}}
|-
| [[RC Strasbourg Alsace|Strasbourg]]
| {{yes2|45.6%}}
| style="text-align:center" | 7.6%
| {{yes|+38.0%}}
|-
| [[ES Troyes AC|Troyes]]
| style="text-align:center" | 5.0%
| {{no2|11.2%}}
| {{no|–6.2%}}
|}

==See also==
* [[Football in Paris]]
* [[Sport in France]]
* [[List of football stadiums in France]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|http://www.fff.fr}} – FFF

{{Football in France}}
{{Seasons in French football}}
{{2023–24 in French football}}
{{Football in Europe}}

[[Category:Football in France| ]]