Fédération Française de Bridge

What Fédération Française de Bridge does

The Fédération Française de Bridge (FFB), founded in 1933 and headquartered in Saint-Cloud (Île-de-France), is the official national governing body for the card game bridge in France. Operating as a non-profit sports federation, FFB serves 76,000+ licensed members across five primary customer segments: adult club and tournament players, youth and junior players, senior players, schools and teachers (via the Petit Bridge program), and online players (via the e-licence). The federation coordinates an ecosystem of 1,172 affiliated bridge clubs, a Challenge des Festivals circuit across ten French cities, national team selection, and France's representation in international competitions managed by the World Bridge Federation (WBF) and European Bridge League (EBL). France ranks second globally behind the United States in bridge licenses.

FFB's core technology includes the Espace Licencié member portal (for licensing, rankings, and competition registration), the Ma Classe Bridge teacher platform (for school-based bridge education), the e-boutique at ffbridge.boutique (for equipment and publications), and digital publications including L'As de Trèfle, Cahier des Jeux, and the Battle Bridge youth digital magazine. The federation integrates with third-party online bridge platforms — Funbridge (core strategic partnership for online competitions and player acquisition), RealBridge, BBO, and Bridge Training — to extend its digital reach. The Petit Bridge product is a proprietary simplified 4x10 card game designed for children aged 5-7 to teach mathematical concepts through bridge principles.

FFB's revenue model is diversified across four streams: (1) annual club membership licenses sold through affiliated clubs on a July 1 to June 30 cycle, with the first license free for new members; (2) e-licences for online-only players; (3) e-boutique sales of equipment, books, and Petit Bridge materials; and (4) festival participation fees. Strategic partnerships include the Ministry of Education (convention renewed 2012, 2016, 2019, 2022), AEFE for French schools abroad (139 countries, renewed February 2026), Société Générale as tournament sponsor, Le Monde for bridge column publishing (since 2009), and Le Bridgeur for member magazine and equipment discounts. FFB is led by President Franck Riehm, who also serves as WBF President since May 2025.

Name

Fédération Française de Bridge

Legal name

Fédération Française de Bridge

Website

https://ffbridge.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Fédération Française de Bridge is France's official national bridge federation, founded in 1933, serving 76,000+ licensed members through 1,172 affiliated clubs, school programs, online licensing, and an annual festival circuit across France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Federation Governance

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

National Governing Bodies (NGBs) (MPAKAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD)

Keywords

• Bridge federation
• Membership licensing
• Bridge education
• Tournament organization
• Sports governance

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-Cloud, Île-de-France

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Bridge Club Membership Licenses: Annual membership licenses sold through affiliated bridge clubs, valid from July 1 to June 30. First license is offered free to new members. Includes civil liability insurance, magazine subscriptions (As de Trèfle), and reduced competition fees.
2. E-Licence: Digital-only license for players who play primarily online, enabling participation in federal online competitions and access to member services without physical club membership.
3. E-Boutique (Online Store): Sale of bridge equipment, books, software, and educational materials including Petit Bridge cards and manuals, publications (L'As de Trèfle, Cahier des Jeux, Bridge & Moi).
4. Festival Participation Fees: Entry fees for participation in bridge festivals across France, including reduced rates for licensed members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Fédération Française de Bridge (FFB) is the national governing body for bridge (a mind sport) in France, founded in 1933. It administers official membership licenses, organizes national and international bridge competitions and festivals, maintains the official player ranking system, and runs educational programs including the Petit Bridge initiative in partnership with the Ministry of Education. It operates a network of 1,172 affiliated clubs and serves more than 76,000 licensed members.

Product overview

Fédération Française de Bridge operates primarily as a sports federation rather than a software product company. Its core offerings include: bridge governance and competition organization; the Petit Bridge educational game for children ages 5-7 teaching mathematical concepts; Ma Classe Bridge platform for teachers managing school bridge programs; official publications (L'As de Trèfle magazine, Cahier des Jeux puzzle booklets, Battle Bridge digital magazine for youth); FFB e-Boutique for bridge merchandise; E-Licence and member portal (Espace Licencié) for online license management; youth programs including Colos Bridge summer camps and Quais des Jeunes Bridgeurs clubs; and numerous bridge festivals throughout France (La Baule, Touquet, La Grande Motte, Saintes, Saint-Malo, Aix-les-Bains, Roussillon). Partnerships with Funbridge, RealBridge, BBO, and Bridge Training provide online bridge playing and training capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Petit Bridge: A simplified 4x10 card game derived from bridge, designed for children aged 5-7 in elementary school cycle 2 to teach math concepts through play
• e-licence FFB
• L'As de Trèfle
• Battle Bridge

Products and services

• Petit Bridge A simplified 4x10 card game derived from bridge, designed for children ages 5-7 to teach math concepts including complementation to 10. Uses animal, transportation, fruits/vegetables, and clothing themes.
• Ma Classe Bridge Online platform for teachers to manage bridge classes, license students, access pedagogical resources, find teaching tools, and register for school competitions.
• L'As de Trèfle Official federation magazine published 3 times per year (January, May, September) for licensed members.
• Cahier des Jeux Quarterly puzzle and games booklet with bridge problems, exercises, and competition recaps for all skill levels.
• Battle Bridge Digital magazine for young bridge players featuring news, reports, photos, videos, and games for all levels.
• FFB e-Boutique Official online store selling bridge equipment, cards, books, and Petit Bridge materials.
• E-Licence Online bridge license enabling participation in federal online competitions, official ranking, and access to licensed member services. Allows earning Expert Points and Performance Points.
• Espace Licencié (Member Portal) Member portal for viewing results and rankings, updating personal information, and registering for competitions. Accessible via website and mobile app.
• Colos Bridge Bridge summer camps for children and teenagers combining bridge with outdoor activities. Approved by FFB and Ministry of Youth and Sports.
• Quais des Jeunes Bridgeurs Youth bridge clubs in major French cities (Paris, Lyon, Nantes, Angers, Lille, Rennes, Versailles, Clermont-Ferrand) offering evening bridge events for students and young professionals with free initiations and tournaments.
• Annual Club Membership License Annual bridge club membership license valid from July 1 to June 30. Includes civil liability insurance, magazine subscriptions (L'As de Trèfle), reduced competition fees, and member dashboard access. First license free for new members.
• Bridge Festivals (Challenge des Festivals) Annual international bridge festivals held across France including La Baule (10 days), La Grande Motte (9 days), Le Touquet, Saintes (4 days), Saint-Malo (4 days), Aix-les-Bains (3 days), Roussillon, Biarritz, Deauville, and Juan-les-Pins, with reduced entry fees for licensed members.

Quantifiable outcome

• France ranked 2nd worldwide for bridge licenses with 76,000+ members
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FunbridgecoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership to make bridge accessible to the widest audience. Funbridge provides an online platform for bridge play, federal online competitions (e-Open, Simultanés des Élèves, CFEB online, Festi'Tournois), and Minibridge for quick learning. The federation directs Funbridge users to nearby clubs for free first license.
• Le MondecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSince September 2009, Le Monde magazine carries a bridge column in partnership with FFB, published Friday in Paris and Saturday in provinces. Bridge problem solutions are published on FFB website.
• Ministry of Education (Ministère de l'Education nationale)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConvention signed September 1, 2012, renewed October 9, 2016, December 26, 2019, and 2022 to develop bridge in schools. Bridge develops strategic reasoning, relational skills, and intellectual capacities. Includes Petit Bridge for young children.
• AEFE (Agence pour l'enseignement français à l'étranger)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership renewed February 2026 to promote bridge teaching in French schools abroad, covering 139 countries and 540 establishments.
• Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (Institut Français)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Institut Français supports the promotion of French culture and language worldwide, including bridge as a mind sport through international cultural cooperation.
• Ensemble DemainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation promoting intergenerational projects in communes and schools. Partners with FFB to: sensitize public authorities to bridge activity, integrate bridge into intergenerational policies, communicate on bridge training, develop school bridge clubs, and facilitate bridge innovation projects.
• Colosse aux pieds d'argileminorOthersPartnership signed September 2025 to prevent and combat sexual and gender-based violence in the bridge community. Association created by Sébastien Boueilh, recognized as being of public utility since 2020, trains educators and supports victims.
• Le Bridgeur (Bridgerama)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing preferential subscription rates to Le Bridgeur magazine and 5% discount on bridge materials at Le Bridgeur boutique in Paris. Also sells books, software, and equipment through bridge-eshop.com.
• Fédération Française des Jeux Mathématiques (FFJM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to promote mathematical education through bridge, with bridge recognized as developing strategic reasoning and problem-solving skills similar to mathematical games.
• Société GénéraleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of daily bridge tournaments (Rondes Société Générale) played simultaneously across France, enabling national ranking through identical card distributions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Federazione Italiana Gioco Bridge (FIGB): Italian national bridge federation, historically one of the strongest bridge nations. Comparable peer federation with national teams, licensing, and tournament infrastructure.
• American Contract Bridge League (ACBL): Largest national bridge governing body in the world, headquartered in the US. Directly comparable as a peer federation managing licenses, clubs, rankings, and tournaments in the same sport.
• Nederlandse Bridge Bond (NBB): Dutch national bridge federation. Comparable peer federation with member licensing, affiliated clubs, and strong competitive pedigree in international bridge.
• English Bridge Union (EBU): National governing body for bridge in England. Comparable as a peer federation with licensed members, affiliated clubs, and a tournament/ranking system.
• Deutscher Bridge-Verband (DBV): German national bridge federation with member licensing, club structure, and competition pathways. Comparable peer federation in another major European bridge market.

Emerging players

• Bridge Base Online (BBO): Largest online bridge platform globally, referenced by FFB for live competition coverage. Comparable as a digital bridge operator that competes for online player engagement alongside FFB's digital licensing.
• RealBridge: Online bridge competition platform used by FFB and WBF for online championships. Comparable as an emerging technology provider enabling the online tournament ecosystem in which FFB operates.
• Funbridge: Leading online bridge platform and FFB's digital partner. Comparable as an emerging digital-native bridge operator whose Minibridge and online competitions overlap with FFB's e-licence and competition offerings.

Broad incumbents

• European Bridge League (EBL): Regional federation coordinating bridge across Europe with 42 member countries. Comparable as the regional body that organises European championships and connects FFB to continental competition.
• World Bridge Federation (WBF): International federation governing bridge globally. Comparable as the umbrella body that FFB belongs to and whose presidency FFB's president currently holds; sets international rules and rankings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/FFB
• Facebookfacebook.com/F%C3%A9d%C3%A9ration-Fran%C3%A7aise-de-Bridge-957381360993690
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/f%C3%A9d%C3%A9ration-fran%C3%A7aise-de-bridge

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fédération Française de Bridge