The 2019 World Cup was supposed to usher in a new age for women’s football for hosts France. Yet despite record interest and attendance, enthusiasm failed to materialise in the way it did for England after the European Championship in 2022.
Now, as hosts of the Olympics, France has another opportunity, with high-quality international football once again on their doorstep.
France’s history in the women’s game is one of incredible achievement at club level and underachievement internationally. French side Lyon are the most decorated club in the history of the game, with a record eight Champions League titles to their name. Players such as Camille Abily, Louisa Necib and Wendie Renard are deservedly recognised amongst the all-time greats.
But that success has not translated to the international stage. France have never reached the final of a senior international competition. Semi-final exits at the 2011 World Cup, 2012 Olympics and 2022 European Championship are all they have to show for a parade of individual talent.
There has been bad luck along the way — not least in 2019 when they drew eventual winners USWNT at the quarter-final stage to end their hopes of a strong run on home soil. But there has also been mismanagement, such as the decision to stand by former manager Corinne Diacre, despite obvious public tensions between coach and squad.
For France to have another opportunity to host a major tournament so quickly is unusual, and women’s Olympic football is far more prestigious than the men’s competition, given that it is a senior tournament. For many, it is seen as on par with the World Cup or the European Championship. The format generates an extra intensity too, as 12 teams compete over just a fortnight. A medal for France would be the fulfilment of their promise in terms of players produced over the past 20 years.
The players are also aware that success internationally could be a big factor in encouraging domestic interest. Kenza Dali, who has played in the Women’s Super League since 2019 for West Ham, Everton and Aston Villa, and is part of France’s Olympic squad, says that the popularity of women’s football in England stems from how it is presented.
“As international players, we have a responsibility to win a title — and we know that,” she told The Athletic earlier this year. “The other 50 per cent of responsibility is on the marketing base. I have found the English marketing amazing. How they sell the product is amazing.”
Kenza Dali playing for France last month (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Last season, only Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain in France’s Premiere Ligue (formerly Division 1 Feminine) had a higher average attendance than the WSL’s worst-attended team, West Ham (5,170 and 2,509 respectively, in comparison to the London club’s 1,892). With an average attendance of 6,974, relegated Bristol City averaged more than French champions Lyon last season, while eight of the 12 teams in the Premiere Ligue had an average attendance of fewer than 1,000.
“When you score a goal in the WSL, you have nine different angles,” explains Dali. “You have got the BBC, Sky Sports; it’s all around social media, it’s everywhere. Cameras are important, angles are important, the stadium is important.
“The best players in the world are not all in England. You’ve got good players in France — and they don’t sell that. The football is not better in England, when we speak only about football. The way it is sold is better, and that’s what makes the difference.”
The Premiere Ligue does have a rights deal with Canal+, with other games being shown on Dailymotion. It’s a very similar setup to the WSL. Tickets for showpiece matches have also sold well, with the Lyon-PSG semi-finals in the Champions League averaging just under 34,000 attendees.
When Michele Kang bought a controlling state in Lyon, she said that bringing fans to the stadium was a “foundational block” when it came to developing media and sponsorship around the game, but that people were put off by Lyon’s dominance. The team have won 16 of the last 17 league titles, but the success of Paris FC in the Champions League, for example, has shown that there are still plenty of compelling storylines across the league. In England, Chelsea’s stranglehold on the WSL title has not put off punters.
France certainly have a strong chance of getting the medal that could give the domestic game the push it needs. With Herve Renard in charge, they have a coach who has experience winning international tournaments, with two Africa Cup of Nations winners medals to his name from his time with the men’s teams of Zambia and the Ivory Coast.
Under Renard, France showed green shoots at the 2023 World Cup despite going out at the quarter-final stage after a mammoth penalty shootout against hosts Australia. They have since gone on to reach the Nations League final (losing 2-0 to Spain) and top their Euros 2025 qualifying group ahead of England and Sweden. Renard has already announced he will step down after this tournament.
The nature of the Olympics can make it unpredictable, but France should feel that can work to their advantage. Many other teams in the tournament are in transition, including former winners Germany and the USWNT. A strong showing this summer could help finally convince fans in France that their country has a legacy and future that deserves to see them front and centre of the women’s game. A gold medal would surely cement it.
(Top photo: France huddle during their Euro 2025 qualifier against England; by Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images)
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