About French Sports

France is known worldwide for the success of its soccer team, but the country also has a rich tradition in a variety of sports. The French National Institute of Statistics and International Economic Studies says the French Olympic soccer and tennis federations received more sporting licenses than any other single-sport Olympic federation in the country in 2009. The French Rugby Federation received among the most sporting licenses for non-Olympic federations in the same year.

Stade de France

The Stade de France hosts major French sporting events in soccer, rugby and athletics. The success of the French national football league enabled the construction of this state-of-the-art facility. According to Paris Tourism, the Stade de France offers a more comfortable spectator experience than any other sporting stadium in France and can accommodate up to 80,000 fans. The illuminated roof covers over 600,000 square feet. The facility has seating configurations for various events, such as track and field, with pressurized air systems that control seating in the lower stands. The French national soccer team uses the stadium for most home games.

Soccer

Soccer is known as football in France. The national team won the World Cup in 1998. Soccer originated as an elitist sport but became popular in the country after the first World War. According to FIFA, soldiers played the game during downtime in the trenches and spread the sport when they returned home after the war. The ethnic background among players in the French national league may result from the country's geographic proximity to Africa and the continent's cultural influence on the sport. The French National Center of Immigration History noted that Cameroon's Eugene N'Jo Lea and Mali's Salif Keita paved the way for later French football players of African descent in 1960.

Tennis

According to Discover France, the origins of tennis are traceable to monastery courtyards in 13th-century France. The French Tennis Federation organizes and develops programs that promote tennis in France and the country hosts major international tennis competitions. Paris hosts the final round of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000. This event takes place at the Bercy Palais Omnisports, a state-of-the-art high-tech indoor facility. Paris also hosts the French Open, one of four international Grand Slam tournaments, along with Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and Australian Open.

Rugby

Rugby games exist in over 120 countries around the world, but the game is among the oldest team sports in France. According to Philip Diné, a French rugby cultural historian, the sport is deeply rooted in the southwest part of France. The French team won the Six Nations Championship in 2007 in competition with England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Italy.