The Most Popular Sports in France
The Top 7 Most Popular Sports in France
France has a rich sporting history with World Cup wins in Football in 1998 and 2018 and heritage in Tennis, Rugby Union and Horse Racing.
But what are the most popular sports in France? Read on to find out!
French people love playing various sports, such as football, tennis, horse riding and handball.
50% of French men participate in sports at least once or twice a month and 64% of French people, including men, women and children, participate in a sporting activity every week.
France has made remarkable achievements in several sports. The country has won trophies in handball, five Olympic medals and eight World Championships.
Find out about the 7 most popular sports in France, including key players and big moments in French sports history.
1. Football
2 million+ people play club football in France
43% of the county takes an interest in Football
France won the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and 2018
Football is the most popular sport in France. France has more than two million football players playing the game at the club level.
French football players are some of the best in the world, including young football talent and stars like Mbappé.
The French Football Federation, or FFF, is the official governing body in France that organises, manages and oversees Association Football throughout the country.
The football industry in France is booming and it benefits many different sectors, including advertising and TV media. TV channels generate over 1.2 billion Euros by broadcasting French football.
Likewise, TV channels have the rights to French National Ligue 1, one of the richest football leagues in Europe, competing with leagues in England, Spain, Germany and Italy.
This is the fifth largest and wealthiest league in the world- and it allows the media to generate over 720 million Euros a year.
French football legend Mbappé
In addition, football plays a critical role in streamlining the country's socioeconomic landscape, creating over 35,000 jobs.
France has 1.9 million licensed football players. Likewise, the number of female football licensed players has exceeded 199,000. The country has 16,449 football clubs, making it the most popular sport.
Around 43% of the French population takes a keen interest in football.
Check out our Football content in our Football Blog
2. Tennis
The French Open at Rolland Garros is France’s flagship tennis tournament
Famous players include Yannick Noah, Guy Forget and Henri Laconte
6.4 million people in France watched the 2022 Rolland Garros final
Tennis is the second most popular sport in France, and 10% of all online searches about this sport are from France.
The country offers picturesque destinations for tennis enthusiasts, allowing hundreds of thousands of tourists to visit and enjoy this fantastic sport.
The French Tennis Federation, the governing body in France, issued around 280,000 licenses to female players in 2020.
In addition, the 2022 French Open was one of the most successful tennis events, watched by more than 42 million people nationwide. The number of viewers has increased by 3.3 million since 2012.
The final match between Casper Ruud and Nadal in the 2022 French Open received over 6.4 million views with an audience share of 39.4%.
In addition, around 2.1 million people watched the women's final between Coco Gauff and Swiatek.
Visit our Tennis Blog!
3. Horse Riding / Equestrian
France is home to one of the world’s most famous Horse Races - La Prix de L’Arc Du Triomphe
There are famous racetracks at Deauville, Le Touqet and of course Paris Longchamp
Andre Fabre is France’s most celebrated horse trainer
Horse riding is another popular sport in France, and 10% of the entire French population participates in this sport.
Horse riding is the third most recognised and admired sport in France, considering the number of riders.
France organises numerous national and international competitions, allowing domestic and global riders to participate in tournaments and showcase their skills.
The country has a vast network of horse riding trails with picturesque backgrounds, promoting equestrian tourism and generating millions of Euros.
Around 53% of French people love experiencing an equestrian vacation- and around two million people in France practice horse riding.
The country has 2,500 equestrian establishments, organisations and associations, along with 350 licensed tourism centres and 80,000 kilometres of trails for horse riders.
4. Basketball
Basketball is commonly played in French schools
Around 7 million people play basketball in France
Basketball prodigy Victor Wembanyma hails from France
Basketball is one of the most widely recognised and enjoyed sports in France.
It has gained immense popularity over the past few years. Around seven million people in France play and enjoy basketball.
As the number of basketball fans in France has increased, more French people have started to play competitive basketball.
French players have participated and competed in NBA with successful career stats.
Young people aspire to play professional basketball and compete in local competitions by joining clubs and leagues.
The Federation Francaise de Basketball is the main governing body that oversees all aspects of basketball in France, including the national team.
The French national basketball team won the 2013 EuroBasket Championship for the first time and eight French players have played basketball outside of France in the NBA.
According to the NBA, France aims to supply more basketball players to the US big time in the coming years.
Check out more basketball articles here
5. Judo
France has over 800,000 judokas
France has won Olympic Golds in Judo
Young children are encouraged into Judo from a young age
According to Nippon, French people love to enjoy Judo for numerous reasons.
First, it is an excellent workout that helps them improve their physical fitness and self-defence skills.
Second, it is an affordable and strategic sport, attracting hundreds of thousands of young people.
Third, Judo is a reliable way for French people to socialise, meet new people and make friends and with its wide variety of throws and grapples, Judo, of course, is brilliant for self-defence.
The French Judo Federation is the official organisation that governs this sport in France. The governing body has registered 10% of eight-year-old Judokas, making Judo one of the most admired sports in France.
The number of judo professionals in France is three times more than that in Japan. France has over 800,000 Judokas, compared to Japan's 200,000 Judo professionals.
Moreover, the French Judo team defeated the Japanese team in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, securing a gold medal.
6. Handball
There are 492,000 registered Handball players in France
France’s Handball league, the Lidl Starligue, is the most admired in Europe
French women won the handball World Championship in 2017
Handball, like football, is another popular sport in France, with 492,000 registered players in different clubs - and many iconic handball players come from this country.
Handball was first introduced to the Olympics in 1972, and since then, the French men’s handball team has made incredible achievements.
This team won gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, securing a silver medal in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
France also won a bronze medal in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The men's team won four World Championships between 2009 and 2017.
The French women's handball team also won a silver medal in the 2016 Olympics and they won the World Championship in 2017.
Lidl Starligue is the most recognised and widely watched handball competition, along with Germany's Handball Bundesliga.
Handball is also one of the most popular sports in Sweden.
7. Rugby
Rugby Union is very popular in the South of France
France will host the 2023 Rugby Union World Cup
There are 360,000 registered Rugby players in France
The French love playing and watching rugby, as this sport values sportsmanship, respect and teamwork.
Around 39% of the country's population prefers rugby over other sports, and there are many great French rugby players from throughout the years.
Rugby Union is the most popular type of Rugby in France, followed by 7-a-side, Rugby League and touch rugby.
Although rugby is famous throughout France, it is particularly popular in the South. For example, Toulouse and Toulon are France's most successful teams.
The former has won three European titles, and the latter has won five European titles.
Stade de France is France’s most famous stadium, with a capacity of over 80,000 people, and each game fills up the arena. France will also host the Rugby World Cup in 2023.
SQAF reports that France has many rugby clubs, with over 360,000 registered players as of 2022.
TV viewers have increased in the past few years, with an average of 500,000 viewers per match.
Are You Familiar with the Most Popular Sports in France?
France's vibrant sports landscape is a testament to the nation's rich sporting history and cultural significance.
Dominated by football, tennis, horse riding and handball, the French sports scene continues to thrive, benefitting the economy and social interactions.
Do you follow any French sports? Let us know in the comments 👇
