Grassroots Sport: How France’s Inclusive Sport Infrastructure Can Inspire UK Efforts

The Paris 2024 Olympics was a triumph for France, as they finished above the UK in the medal table, securing a place as one of the top-performing nations. France and the UK have many similarities in terms of size, but the culture of grassroots sport in the two countries is very different.  While the UK’s focus tends to be on elite sports, France’s success shows that thriving grassroots sport can play an integral role in achieving top-level triumphs. Rather than concentrating solely on elite athletes, France’s unique model, initiated decades ago, prioritises widespread participation across all levels of sport. This approach has nurtured both community involvement and high-performance excellence, proving that grassroots success can trickle up to elite achievement.

The General’s Vision: From Failure to Flourishing

In the early 1960s, French sport was in a challenging position. At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the nation didn’t secure a gold medal until the final day. General Charles de Gaulle saw this as a call to action. His vision for the future of French sport wasn’t about investing only in elite athletes but in creating an inclusive, participatory system that would lay the groundwork for long-term success. Today, that vision has paid off, as shown by the outstanding performance of French athletes in Paris 2024.

By funnelling public money into grassroots sports and infrastructure, France built a system where opportunities are available to all. Local authorities now invest €12.5bn annually into grassroots sports—twelve times what the UK contributes. This inclusive strategy has allowed even minority sports to flourish in France, nurturing a wide base of talent that feeds into the elite level.

A Model for the UK Grassroots Scene

France’s inclusive approach to sport offers key lessons for the UK. While British sporting success at the elite level is undeniable, focusing only on elite programmes misses the opportunity to build from the ground up. Here’s how the UK can learn from France’s grassroots model:

• Funding Equality: France ensures that grassroots sports receive substantial investment, which leads to a larger talent pool and greater public participation. UK grassroots organisations could push for similar funding to ensure more equitable opportunities across all sports.
• Inclusive Infrastructure: Public money in France goes toward developing facilities not just for elite athletes but for community-level engagement. The UK could benefit from more local sports infrastructure, encouraging greater participation and offering pathways for talent to develop organically from the grassroots.
• Sporting Diversity: French grassroots sport covers a vast range of activities, from archery to handball, giving people more ways to get involved. In the UK, embracing and supporting a wider variety of sports at the community level could boost participation and develop talent in disciplines that currently receive less attention.

France’s Approach to Grassroots Sport: A Blueprint for the UK?

While UK grassroots sports have seen improvements, adopting a more inclusive model like France’s could lead to even greater success. By offering widespread participation opportunities, France has developed a robust sporting culture that produces both everyday athletes and Olympic champions. As Paris 2024 demonstrated, grassroots investment plays a critical role in long-term success at the elite level.

France’s grassroots infrastructure supports 500,000 judo practitioners, 600,000 handballers, and 711,000 basketballers, among many others. This widespread participation in niche sports has laid the foundation for the country’s Olympic success. The focus on broad participation, rather than just elite training, has been key to their achievements.

The Future of UK Grassroots Sport

France’s success at Paris 2024 proves that a thriving grassroots system contributes directly to elite-level victories. For the UK to match this success in the future, it must look to France’s model of inclusive participation, decentralised funding, and the development of local infrastructure. Grassroots sport isn’t just about building healthier communities—it’s about ensuring long-term sporting excellence on the world stage.

At Spond, we understand the value of grassroots sport in building strong communities and nurturing future talent. Our platform is designed to help grassroots teams, clubs, and groups manage everything from organising fixtures to fundraising. We aim to support grassroots participation across the UK by giving organisers the tools they need to focus on what matters most—bringing people together through sport.