Developing football in France

UEFA support

UEFA's HatTrick programme, which channels EURO funds into football development across Europe, has helped the FFF improve its infrastructure.

As well as supporting the ongoing development of youth and amateur clubs throughout the country, HatTrick is ensuring more communities have access to dedicated facilities. To date, the programme has supported the construction of four removable structures for five-a-side football, 38 outdoor futsal pitches and 24 five-a-side football pitches.

In June 2020, HatTrick funding also helped the FFF establish an extraordinary solidarity fund, valued at approximately €20 million, to help restart the national game and to support the nation’s 14,182 amateur clubs hit financially by football’s shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the fund’s conditions, every affiliated amateur club was entitled to €10 for each registered player, with the FFF investing €7 and the leagues and districts covering the remainder. More than two million registered players benefited.

UEFA Foundation for Children in France

Set up in 2015, the UEFA Foundation uses football as a vehicle to help improve children’s lives by supporting hundreds of campaigns and projects across Europe and around the world.

Timeline

Association history

1872 Football makes its debut in France in 1872 with the founding of the Havre Athletic Club. 1894 The first proper competition is held in the country, organised by the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques. 1904 Following the formation of FIFA in Paris, a France national team take to the field for the first time for a 3-3 draw against Belgium. 1906 The Comité Français Interfédéral (CFI) becomes the first body devoted exclusively to the game. The CFI oversees a Trophée de France, which brings together the football champions of various multisport federations. 1917 The Coupe de France, now the country's longest-running football competition, is launched to herald a new era. 1919 The Fédération Française de Football Association (FFFA) is launched, later to become the Fédération Française de Football (FFF). 1932 Professionalism arrives in the French game. 1954 France is again at the vanguard when it comes to creating UEFA and its flagship competitions – the European Champion Clubs' Cup (1955/56) and the UEFA European Championship/Henri Delaunay Cup (1958–60). 1975 Having hosted the first final in 1956, Paris is again the venue for the European Cup final, where Bayern beat Leeds United 2-0. 1981 Six years later, the Parc des Princes once again hosts the final as Liverpool edge out Real Madrid by a single goal. 1993 Marseille become the first French team to lift the European Cup, winning the first Champions League title thanks to a 1-0 win against AC Milan. 1996 Three years later, Paris Saint-Germain lift the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. 2000 The Stade de France, opened for the 1998 World Cup, hosts the UEFA Champions League final as Real Madrid beat fellow Spaniards Valencia 3-0, the first time two teams from the same country have contested the final. 2006 Barcelona beat Arsenal 2-1 in the Champions League final, again in Saint-Denis. 2019 The FFF celebrates its centenary, hosting its first FIFA Women's World Cup in the same year. Present day

National team history

1930 France participate in the inaugural FIFA World Cup – an event that owes its existence to the efforts of Frenchmen Jules Rimet and Henri Delaunay. 1938 The third edition of the World Cup is held in France. 1958 At the World Cup, Les Bleus claim a very respectable third place as Just Fontaine top-scores with 13 goals, still a finals record. 1982 France finish fourth at the World Cup, enjoying a renaissance after a barren run of form. 1984 A first international title arrives, at the UEFA European Championship. Inspired by Michel Platini, who scores nine goals, the French lift the trophy on home soil. 1986 Another strong showing on the world stage sees a third-place finish in Mexico. 1998 France again hosts the World Cup, and, coached by Aimé Jacquet, Les Bleus carry off the country's maiden world title, beating Brazil 3-0 in the final with the help of two headers from talisman Zinédine Zidane. 2000 Under Roger Lemerre, France land a second European crown, before adding the FIFA Confederations Cup to the honours' list in both 2001 and 2003. 2006 Another fine World Cup campaign sees France beaten in a final penalty shoot-out by Italy. 2016 France host the first 24-team EURO and again come close to glory, suffering a surprise 1-0 defeat by Portugal in the final. 2018 Didier Deschamps' team bounces back from disappointment two years earlier to become world champions for a second time. An entertaining final sees Croatia beaten 4-2, with strikes from Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappé following an own goal from Mario Mandžukić. 2021 Another trophy for France as they win the second edition of the UEFA Nations League, coming from behind against Spain to win the final 2-1 in Milan. 2022 France narrowly miss out on defending their world title, losing a thrilling final to Argentina. Mbappé becomes only the second man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final. Present day

President

Philippe Diallo

Nationality: French
Date of Birth: 2 August 1963
Association president since: 2023

General secretary

Jean-François Vilotte

Nationality: French
Date of birth: 24 May 1957
Association general secretary since: 2023

French Football Federation website