Federation Francaise de Rugby XIII

What Federation Francaise de Rugby XIII does

The Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII (FFR XIII) is the official national governing body for Rugby League (rugby à XIII) in France, established in 1934 and headquartered at 30 rue de l'Echiquier, 75010 Paris. Operating as a non-profit association under French law (association loi 1901), the federation governs all competitive, youth, feminine, and para Rugby XIII in France across a multi-tier competition pyramid (Super XIII, Elite 2, Fédérale, Division Nationale, Para, Féminin) and manages national teams (XIII de France senior, U19, U17, Féminin, Fauteuil). Its core technology infrastructure comprises a WordPress-based public website and a fully dematerialised online licensing platform (licences.ffr13.fr) supporting multiple license types (Membre, Pro, Amateur, Loisirs, Fauteuil), supplemented by a planned direct-to-consumer streaming platform, Super XIII TV, gated by a 5,500 pre-subscription threshold.

FFR XIII's business model is diversified across recurring licence fees from individual members and clubs, ticketing for national and international matches, sponsorship and government support (Errea, CIC, LAFONT Assurances, AG2R La Mondiale, Ministère des Sports), merchandise sales via boutique.ffr13.fr, and insurance brokerage services channelled through LAFONT Assurances. A distinctive element is its portfolio of scientifically validated health and inclusion programmes — notably Silver XIII Équilibre (adapted physical activity for seniors 60+, with a peer-reviewed Walking Trail Making Test published in PLOS One) and FIT XIII (adapted rugby for cancer patients and survivors in partnership with Maisons Sport-Santé) — which extend the federation's footprint beyond traditional sport governance into the public health and adapted physical activity sector. It is currently preparing for the Rugby League World Cup 2026 in Australia following France's 36-0 qualification victory over Jamaica.

Name

Federation Francaise de Rugby XIII

Legal name

Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII

Website

https://ffr13.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII (FFR XIII) is France's official national governing body for Rugby League, founded in 1934. It organises national competitions across multiple tiers, manages French representative teams, and operates health programmes for seniors and cancer patients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Federation Services

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Rugby (Union & League) Leagues (MPAKAAAG)

Keywords

• National sports federation
• Rugby league governance
• Amateur sport licensing
• Adapted physical activity
• Youth rugby development

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Licence fees: FFR XIII generates revenue through annual licence fees paid by all affiliated club members. Licence types include Membre, Pro, Amateur, Loisirs, and Fauteuil. The licensing process is dematerialized and handled online via the federation's platform.
2. Ticket sales and event revenue: Revenue from ticketing for national competition matches, finals, and international events. Ticket prices vary (e.g., €10 general, €5 for licensed members) for youth international matches.
3. Super XIII TV streaming subscription: Planned direct-to-consumer streaming platform for all Super XIII championship matches. Requires 5,500 pre-subscriptions to launch. One annual subscription gives access to every matchday.
4. Boutique and merchandise: Online store (boutique.ffr13.fr) selling federation merchandise.
5. Federal insurance services: The federation procures and offers group insurance policies (civil liability, individual accident, legal protection, professional athlete provident fund) through broker LAFONT ASSURANCES for its clubs and licensees.
6. Sponsorship and partnership: Commercial partnerships with sponsors including Errea (technical kit), CIC (bank), LAFONT Assurances, Shilton, XplicitDrink, Built4Life, Hele Sport, BeRugbBe, Groupe Apicil, and AG2R La Mondiale. Also benefits from government support via Ministère des sports.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

FFR XIII is the official French national federation governing Rugby League (Rugby à XIII). It organizes national competitions across multiple tiers (Super XIII, Elite 2, Fédérale, Division Nationale), manages French national teams, licenses members through affiliated clubs via a dematerialized online platform, and runs scientifically validated adapted physical activity programmes including Silver XIII Équilibre for seniors and FIT XIII for cancer patients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Super XIII: Top-tier professional rugby league championship in France featuring elite clubs competing for the national title.
• Silver XIII Équilibre
• FIT XIII
• Super XIII TV
• XIII de France

Products and services

• Rugby XIII National Competitions
• FFR XIII Club Licensing (Licences)
• XIII de France National Teams Programme
• Silver XIII Équilibre Programme
• FIT XIII Programme
• Super XIII TV Streaming Platform
• Federal Insurance Programme
• Boutique FFR XIII Merchandise
• FFRXIII TV Content Channel

Quantifiable outcome

• 85.2% specificity and 61.5% sensitivity in detecting high fall-risk elderly individuals using the W-TMT cognitive-motor test (study of 101 home-dwelling participants, PLOS One publication)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• ErreacoreOthersErrea is the official technical kit sponsor of FFR XIII, supplying apparel for the federation and its national teams. Errea is a major sports equipment and apparel manufacturer.
• CICsupportingOthersCIC is a French banking institution listed as an official partner of FFR XIII, providing financial services sponsorship support.
• LAFONT AssurancescoreOthersLAFONT Assurances is the exclusive insurance broker for FFR XIII, managing all federal insurance contracts including civil liability, individual accident, legal protection, professional athlete provident fund, and property damage. Located at 2 rue du Moulinas, Cabestany. Regulated under ORIAS n°12 068 741.
• Ministère des SportscoreOthersThe French Ministry of Sports is an official partner of FFR XIII, providing governmental support and regulatory oversight in accordance with the Code du sport.
• Built4LifesupportingOthersBuilt4Life is listed as an official partner of FFR XIII. The organization appears to focus on sustainability or infrastructure in sport.
• Hele SportsupportingOthersHele Sport is listed as an official partner of FFR XIII, appearing as a sports equipment or accessory supplier.
• BeRugbBesupportingOthersBeRugbBe is listed as an official partner of FFR XIII, appearing to be a rugby-specific brand or platform.
• XplicitDrinksupportingOthersXplicitDrink is listed as an official partner of FFR XIII, appearing to be a beverage brand.
• ShiltonsupportingOthersShilton is listed as an official partner of FFR XIII, appearing as a sportswear or apparel brand.
• Groupe ApicilsupportingOthersGroupe Apicil is a French supplementary pension and insurance group (Agirc-Arrco) listed as an official partner of FFR XIII.
• AG2R La MondialesupportingOthersAG2R La Mondiale is a major French insurance and pension group listed as an official partner of FFR XIII.
• UFR STAPS — Lyon 1 UniversitécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFFR XIII collaborates with the UFR STAPS (Sciences et Techniques des Activités Physiques et Sportives) of Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 on the Silver XIII Équilibre programme. This includes joint scientific research (CIFRE doctorate of Rafael Mauti), annual Sport-Santé colloquia, and programme validation. The partnership produced a peer-reviewed publication in PLOS One in 2026.
• Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité (LIBM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint organiser of the annual Sport-Santé colloquium with FFR XIII and UFR STAPS Lyon 1. Conducts research on adapted physical activity for seniors and cognitive-motor evaluation tools.
• CNEA de Font-Romeu (Centre National d'Entraînement en Altitude)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFFR XIII uses the CNEA de Font-Romeu, a national sports training centre, as the venue for the European U19 Rugby XIII Championship 2026. The CNEA is a historic high-altitude training facility for elite athletes. FFR XIII U19 team conducted a preparatory visit on 18 June 2026 with CNEA director Antoine Le Bellec.
• Maison Sport-Santé Cœur de Ville de ChâtillonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Maison Sport-Santé in Châtillon for the delivery of the FIT XIII programme for cancer patients. A tripartite agreement is renewed annually between the club, the Maison Sport-Santé, and the Ligue Île-de-France de Rugby à XIII.
• Ligue Île-de-France de Rugby à XIIIsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ligue Île-de-France de Rugby à XIII co-develops the FIT XIII adapted sport programme with Châtillon Rugby XIII club and the local Maison Sport-Santé. Part of the tripartite convention for the programme.
• Châtillon Rugby XIIIsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChâtillon Rugby XIII is a club partner running the FIT XIII programme (adapted rugby for cancer patients) since May 2023 with ~25 licensed participants. The club employs a VITA XIII-certified trainer (Joaquim Da Costa) and partners with the Maison Sport-Santé and Ligue Île-de-France.
• European Rugby League (ERL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFFR XIII participates in European Rugby League competitions and governance through the ERL, which organizes the U19 European Championship and other continental events. The ERL announced the referee team for the 2026 U19 European Championship hosted by FFR XIII at Font-Romeu.
• UGSEL 69supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUGSEL 69 (Union Générale Sportive de l'Enseignement Libre du Rhône) partners with FFR XIII for school rugby competitions, notably the Petit Treize Challenge, which in 2026 brought together 1,600 schoolchildren from 14 schools.
• Ligue AURA Rugby à XIIIsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional league partners with FFR XIII and Comité du Rhône for the Petit Treize school rugby challenge and other regional development initiatives.
• Comité du Rhône de Rugby à XIIIsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Rhône departmental committee organizes youth rugby activities in partnership with FFR XIII, including the annual Petit Treize Challenge at Parc de Parilly.
• Dragons CatalanscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDragons Catalans is a French professional club competing in the UK Super League, representing France's elite Rugby XIII. FFR XIII collaborates with the club on national team player development, talent identification (e.g., Adrian De La Rose signing from the France Pole to the professional group), and para rugby (Dragons Catalans Handirugby).
• Toulouse Olympique XIIIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerToulouse Olympique XIII is a French professional club in the Super League and a key partner in FFR XIII's elite development pathway. The club is a natural professional destination for players from the France Pole system.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Fédération Italienne de Rugby League: National governing body for Rugby League in Italy. Comparable federation scale, governance role, and European competition participation alongside FFR XIII in the European Rugby League ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Rugby Football League (RFL): National governing body for Rugby League in England. Operates an analogous federation structure with licensing, national teams, competitions, and community programmes, making it the closest international structural peer for FFR XIII.
• Toulouse Olympique XIII: Second French professional Rugby League club in the Super League, based in Toulouse. Core FFR XIII partner in the elite pathway and primary beneficiary of the Pôles France training centre at CREPS Toulouse.
• Dragons Catalans: French professional Rugby League club competing in the UK Super League. FFR XIII's flagship elite club partner, sharing the French domestic Rugby League talent pool and national team development pathway, and a key beneficiary of federation-led grassroots programmes.

Broad incumbents

• Australian Rugby League Commission (NRL): Governing body of the National Rugby League in Australia and operator of the premier professional Rugby League competition globally. Sets the commercial and competitive benchmark for Rugby League that FFR XIII aspires to against in elite international play.
• Super League (Europe): Top-tier professional Rugby League competition in Europe (UK/France). Where the top French clubs (Dragons Catalans, Toulouse Olympique) compete, Super League shapes FFR XIII's elite competitive calendar and commercial environment.
• Fédération Française de Football (FFF): Largest national sport federation in France with a diversified health, education, and community programme portfolio analogous to FFR XIII's Silver XIII and FIT XIII initiatives. Useful comparable for federation-led sport-and-public-health integration at national scale.
• Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR): National governing body for Rugby Union in France, headquartered in Marcoussis. Directly comparable governance model (licensing, national teams, clubs, competitions) but for the much larger Rugby Union code, providing a useful structural and operational benchmark for FFR XIII.

Others

• European Rugby League (ERL): Continental governing body for Rugby League in Europe that organises competitions such as the U19 European Championship hosted by FFR XIII at Font-Romeu in 2026. Direct counterparty in European competition calendar and policy.
• International Rugby League (IRL): Global governing body for Rugby League that sanctions the Rugby League World Cup and sets international rules. FFR XIII participates in IRL governance and competitions (including World Cup 2026), making it the apex-level counterpart in the Rugby League ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FFRXIII
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FFRXIII
• Facebookfacebook.com/FFRXIII
• Instagraminstagram.com/ffrxiii
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ffrxiii

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Federation Francaise de Rugby XIII