France's blueprint for futsal success

What is the French Football Federation’s vision for futsal?

In August 2023, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced a new futsal development plan covering the breadth and depth of the football pyramid. The long-term goal is to match the blue-riband achievements of its celebrated 11-a-side national teams.

How will they do that?

The plan builds on an existing futsal programme and is backed by €18.5m in dedicated funding. Capitalising on grassroots participation, every French district will have its own futsal programme. At futsal’s elite level, the federation has established a national technical advisor post, with an Under-17 age group set to join the roster of existing national futsal teams.

French side Etoile Lavalloise in UEFA Futsal Champions League action against illustrious opponents Barça

Why now?

Futsal is a hugely popular school sport in France. Almost 200,000 girls and boys play the game, while the number of registered futsal players is growing around 10% each year. More and more fans like watching the indoor version of the game too. France’s pre-2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup friendly against Argentina had to be moved from its original venue to the 10,000-seater CO’Met Arena in Orléans to meet the huge demand for tickets.

How will the FFF turn quantity into quality?

In 2018, the FFF opened Pôle France, a futsal centre of excellence in Lyon, with the aim of nurturing teams capable of competing at international level. Each year, around 20 young players are enrolled into this elite environment, where they have the chance to maximise their potential both as futsal players and academically.

Both France’s recent successful UEFA Under-19 Futsal EURO 2023 and 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup teams were built on players whose talents were, in part, nurtured at Pôle France. Such is the centre’s success that the FFF plans to open another by 2025.

What about women’s futsal in France?

Women’s futsal is a fundamental part of the FFF’s plan. After creating a women’s Under-23 team in 2022, the federation announced its first-ever women’s national futsal team squad in October 2023. They made their competitive debut in the UEFA qualifiers for the 2025 FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup, topping their qualification group and beating the European vice-champions, Ukraine, in their opening match.

Newcomers France will compete in the elite round of European qualifiers for the new FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup.

What do the results say?

The fruits of France’s investment in fostering futsal talent were apparent at both the recent Under-19 Futsal EUROs and Futsal World Cup, where the men’s national team made history, not only by qualifying for the first time, but even storming to the semi-finals, narrowly losing 3-2 to Argentina. While France lost out to Latvia and Lithuania in their bid to host UEFA Futsal EURO 2026, its candidature was yet another sign of the FFF’s high futsal ambitions.