What’s the Score?
The Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT) has achieved a major bureaucratic victory that cements its control over pickleball in France. The Ministry of Sports has officially awarded the FFT the “delegation” for pickleball, granting it the sole government-sanctioned responsibility to organise, regulate, and develop the sport. This decision effectively ends any ambiguity regarding governance and places pickleball squarely within the country’s established tennis infrastructure.
Hit it deeper!
This delegation is a game-changer for resources. The FFT manages a massive network of 7,000 affiliated clubs, leagues, and departmental committees. With the state’s blessing, the federation now plans to deploy pickleball across this entire grid. The mandate covers the entire spectrum of the sport: from introducing it in schools and training coaches to organising the official French Championships and managing national teams.
The FFT’s data highlights a sport in the midst of a boom. France currently boasts nearly 30,000 practitioners and 3,500 licensed players, with a near-perfect gender balance. Currently, 850 clubs already offer pickleball, leveraging the fact that courts can be easily superimposed on existing tennis surfaces. FFT President Gilles Moretton described the sport as “young and dynamic,” viewing it as a perfect diversification tool for tennis clubs looking to retain and attract members.
The World Pickleball Verdict
France has chosen the “integration” model over the “independence” model. By handing the keys to the Tennis Federation, the French government has ensured that pickleball will have immediate access to world-class facilities and administrative power.
While purists often fear tennis federations will stifle pickleball, the FFT’s aggressive rollout—already converting 850 clubs—suggests they view pickleball as a vital revenue stream and engagement tool. This move likely accelerates the professionalisation of the sport in Europe, giving French players a structured pathway that independent associations would struggle to build from scratch.
