French Championships and the French national team: how the top level is structured
Published 28 October 2026 Revised 28 October 2026 2 minutes to read
The editors of Le Tableau du Dimanche.
Take a seat in front of the file “French Championships and the French national team: how the top level is structured,” every piece of which has been referenced. You'll learn how the FFT organizes the French championships and national teams.
In brief: The Fédération française de tennis (FFT) received delegation of pickleball from the Ministry of Sports, announced on January 2, 2026. The Nîmes project includes 5 indoor courts and 2 outdoor courts, with a 6.5 m ceiling height.
Words to define first
The glossary below defines each term as it's used in this entry.
Double bounce rule
The double bounce rule requires the ball to bounce once on each side before volleys are allowed.
Example on file: the receiver lets the serve bounce, then the server lets the return bounce before being able to volley.
Read Double bounce rule for the full definition.
Dedicated pickleball club
A dedicated pickleball club is a facility devoted entirely to this sport.
Take a case noted for the occasion: in Nîmes, a club entirely dedicated to pickleball was announced as the first in the South.
The full definition is in the Dedicated pickleball club entry.
Who organizes the championships?
One example is on file: other federations, including the Fédération française de badminton, were mentioned as possible overseers of pickleball before the ministry chose the FFT.
To illustrate, here's a case we noted: a club in Nîmes (174 rue du Pied Ferme), billed as the first in the South of France entirely dedicated to pickleball, was announced for the end of March 2026.
Verified and dated fact: of the roughly 7,000 FFT clubs, 850 offered pickleball when the delegation was announced in January 2026.
Closing the entry
File this dossier away, then compare it with the site's other entries to draw your own conclusions.
You may also like
- Joining a pickleball club: FFT license and registration — Clubs, licenses and how the federation organizes pickleball. Browse the basic principles and the terms you'll want to know in practice.
- FFT license and pickleball: what the delegation changes for players — You'll learn what the federation license is for and why it's tied to an FFT club. Outline of the guide: the essential definitions.
- How to find a pickleball club near you — You'll know how to look for a club that offers pickleball and what to ask before you sign up. Sorted criteria to help you decide.
- Club leaders: turning tennis courts into pickleball courts — You'll learn how to estimate how many courts you can fit and where the federal steps come in. Sections: the case studied and the concepts to know.
Our sources
- La Fédération française de tennis obtient la délégation du pickleball — Delegation of January 2, 2026, FFT responsibilities, participation figures (about 30,000 players, 3,500 license holders, 850 clubs). Document accessed 2026-10-15, before layout.
- Nîmes : le premier club du Sud entièrement dédié au pickleball ouvrira fin mars — Example of a dedicated club (indoor and outdoor courts) and the integration of pickleball into the FFT on January 1, 2026. Document accessed 2026-10-15, before layout.
- La FFT obtient la délégation officielle du pickleball en France — Responsibilities entrusted to the FFT (rules, competitions, licenses, training) and the background to the decision. Document accessed 2026-10-15, before layout.
The federal framework for pickleball in France has been changing since the 2026 delegation: check licenses, fees and regulations on the FFT website before you sign up.
How this article was verified
This article draws on 3 sources: 1 official body or institution and 2 press articles.
The facts were checked against their sources on October 15, 2026.
The method we followed: Sources and verification.