Saint-Brieuc, Juvisy, Le Crès… How license takeovers have allowed the development of women’s sections of major clubs

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FC Lyon, Toulouse OAC, Saint-Brieuc FF, Montpellier Le Crès. The French women’s elite championship of twenty years ago has nothing to do with that of today. License buyouts and club absorptions by residents of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 men have changed the landscape of what is now D1 Arkema. The latest example, the historic club of Juvisy, six-time champion of France, which became Paris FC in 2017.

This phenomenon is not new, but it has increased over the past decade. While Stade de Reims and PSG are pioneers with the creation of a women’s section more than fifty years ago (1968 in Reims and 1971 in Paris), the seven other professional clubs present in the elite have used to absorptions. Fleury, Issy-les-Moulineaux and Soyaux are the exceptions of a model which tends more and more towards the absorption of all the amateur clubs by mastodons already present in the top-level men.

It was Montpellier that inaugurated this practice under the impetus of Louis Nicollin by absorbing the Montpellier club Le Crès in 2001. Three years later, in 2004, Olympique Lyonnais bought out the license from FC Lyon for the success that the ‘we know. A phenomenon that does not only affect France, quite the contrary. In 2020, Real Madrid launched its women’s section by absorbing CD Tacon. The White House has since experienced its first European quarter-final against the Barcelona enemy, well in advance.

The sporting reason is obvious, it is for these big structures to start immediately in the elite by integrating the championship of the absorbed team. Otherwise, it is necessary to climb the ladder of the district at the D1which takes many years. Some clubs like Olympique de Marseille, Le Havre or Nantes have nevertheless taken the decision to start from scratch to form a permanent women’s section, from training to the first team. For some, it’s also a geographical question with no club of such a level nearby.

The development of women’s football inevitably leads to an increase in expenses and investments for clubs engaged for still little profitability. “Women’s football today is in deficit, and presumably, the deficits are made up by the men’s sections”analyzes Luke Roundelresearch director at the CNRS and specialist in football economics. Teams managed by amateur structures therefore find themselves, more easily, in the grip of financial difficulties.

A glaring example, Saint-Brieuc, history of women’s football and Camille’s training club Abily and Eugénie Le Sommer, best striker in the history of the France team, had to resolve to sell his license to Guingamp in 2011. “Stade Briochin was in particular financial difficulty, their men’s team had just fallen into DSE (today R1) and their only subsidy was the departmental council”says Christophe Gautier, communications manager for Roudouroualready present at the time.

“There was a desire from the club to sell the women’s section. Once the club stabilized, we were able to recreate it”comments on the other side of the transactionLeslie Sychareunhplayer at the time of absorption and now responsible for the women’s section of Saint-Brieuc, now in the departmental division.

The question therefore arises of the survival of the iconic clubs of the women’s championship, operating on the associative model. The team of Juvisysix times champion of France, has chosen to join forces with Paris FC. A merger according to the leaders of thetime, but a real absorption in the facts. If the players and the president have migrated to the side of Charlety and Orly (training center)the Essonne logo, name and identity have disappeared.

“In England they didn’t bother, they made a specification and if you don’t meet the criteria you get out of elite competition. Historic clubs have paid the price.”

Luc Arrondel

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HAS Soyauxto the struggle for maintenance, the question of a merger often comes up on the table. HAS hundreds of kilometers of professional clubs, the Angoulême option, resident of National 2 in the men’s category, comes back with insistence. “I know it’s going to be difficult and maybe it’s going to have to go through a merger. But we will try to remain 100% feminine as long as we can”stresses Afif Sfargeneral manager of theASJ Soyaux who thinks about a model “innovative” to maintain the values ​​of the club.

The promise of more resources, better infrastructure, more beautiful stadiums for a better level and better visibility puts the sea serpent of the professionalization of the French championship back on the table. A step already taken in England, Spain or Italy.

“We will have no choice, the French mentality must change. Everyone must do their part to make things happen”

Marie Terroni, president of the women’s section of Paris FC

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The increased presence of clubs with more recognized and attractive names can also bring enthusiasm to the stadiums. the supporterism often goes beyond the men’s section and attaches itself to all the teams of the club, including the women. The evolution of women’s football could therefore go through an abandonment of its historical names, already well underway. Sometimes you have to know how to kill the father.


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