By Samindra Kunti
September 30 – The French FA, the FFF and the French Football League, the LFP, will open an office in China early 2017. The office will aim to brand French football.
The move is very much aimed at promoting French football in China, where the global game is becoming more and more popular, with corresponding investment being pumped into the system. China has not qualified for the World Cup since 2002, but with the Chinese Super League the domestic game is showing new growth.
The two French football governing bodies described the “development and cooperation office” as an opportunity to “export French know-how and to develop the French football market in China and internationally.”
The office will seek to develop the French club competition and national team brands in China, assist French clubs in their business efforts in the Chinese market and in providing their know-how towards the development of football in the country.
It constitutes a major milestone in the international development of Ligue 1, according to LFP Director of economic development Mathieu Ficot. He further highlighted that the country represents an area of strategic importance for the French league and its clubs.
“It will allow us to capitalise on the strengths of French football: its tradition of youth formation and the dynamic development of professional football,” said vice-president of the FFF Victoriano Melero.
The move appears to be part of French authorities’ strategy to promote football in an emerging market with significant flows of capital from businessmen. Several Chinese funds have invested in Ligue 1 and acquired considerable portions of the share capital of French teams, including most recently Olympique Lyon and Nice.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1714023762labto1714023762ofdlr1714023762owedi1714023762sni@i1714023762tnuk.1714023762ardni1714023762mas1714023762