The French Football Federation (FFF) has made it official with an announcement on its website: France is bidding to host the European Futsal Championship in 2026. The bid was submitted to UEFA last month. It calls for the continental tournament to be held in Paris, in two venues located within a 10 km radius: the Stade Pierre-de-Coubertin (3,600 seats) and the Arena de la Porte de la Chapelle (9,000 seats). The host country of the competition, whose final phase will bring together the sixteen best European nations divided into four groups for a total of 32 matches, will be designated by UEFA on December 2, 2023. According to the FFF, the number of futsal licensees rose by 14% this season, to exceed the 38,000 mark, including 10% of girls and women. A first Pôle France for futsal has been opened in Lyon, with a second scheduled for the start of the 2024 academic year. The French men’s team is currently ranked 12th in the world. It is still in contention for its first World Cup qualification.
