France’s first national women’s futsal championship begins this weekend | OneFootball

France’s first national women’s futsal championship kicks off on Saturday as the national team enters its fourth season, aiming to harness the sport’s rapid growth. According to L'Équipe, the new championship has been created to support that momentum.

Léa Wioland, 30, of Diamant in Essonne, sees the launch as a culmination since the France selection was formed in 2023. She believes it will bring the best together to compete and improve, and says players are eager for the start.

Like many, Wioland moved indoors after beginning on grass, citing limited national opportunities at her former clubs and a desire to test herself against the best. She found committing fully to futsal straightforward and energising.

Raphaël Raynaud, the national futsal manager, said the championship answers a clear need, with rising interest but few structures for clubs to grow. He said players have advanced quickly, yet a glass ceiling appeared because daily standards were not high enough, and this competition is intended to lift individual levels and, in turn, France. Licence numbers have kept rising, reaching 52,985 in 2026, including 7,236 women.

Fellow France international Audrey Tabary will play and coach with US Beuvry in Pas-de-Calais while continuing outdoor football. At 33, she wants to seize the chance at D1 level, expects a demanding competition and intends to relish this historic first.

Twelve teams are entered: Vaulx-en-Velin, Futsal Dijon Métropole, Rennes Métropole, AS Musau Strasbourg, Toulouse Futsal Club, Diamant, Beuvry, AS Beauvais, Grand Saint-Barthélemy, Hercules Futsal, Sporting and Nantes Métropole Futsal.

Source: L'Équipe

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”