Intervieq of Dominique Baloup, President of the French RL Federation
https://www.ladepeche.fr/2025/06/23...dent-de-la-federation-de-rugby-a-12777351.php
Online translation
La Dépêche du Midi: How is the sport performing in terms of membership?
Dominique Baloup: We're on a growth curve with 18,000 to 20,000 members overall. This increase is driven by lesser-known activities: wheelchair rugby, fitness sports, and also competitive categories. We're facing a decline in rugby schools: U7s, U9s, and U11s. The problem is that in four to five years, the higher categories risk experiencing a drop. We therefore need to work specifically on these categories by improving our outreach to young people and by reaching out to schools.
What's the status of the federation's headquarters relocation project?
We're making good progress, but we've fallen behind schedule. The idea is to sell our headquarters in Paris and move to Toulouse fairly quickly. I'm hopeful that we'll have everything sorted by the end of September. In Toulouse, we've found our dream property: a two-story, 800 m² building where we will house the headquarters of the FFR XIII and the European federation.
And your Super XIII development project?
The goal is to change rugby league and make it more attractive. We must be able to offer a quality show in chartered stadiums. Some clubs still operate using the same methods as last century, which hinders progress. I was hoping to organize the final of the next championship in Paris as a curtain-raiser for the Dragons on July 4th. But some clubs opposed it because it would push back the end of the season. It's a shame... Discussions are nevertheless underway to change the calendar to a championship that would run from February to September starting in 2027. This important change would prevent us from competing with major media sports and would allow us to align ourselves with the English and Australian championships in order to have more international exchanges. In 2027, the change in seasonality will have to be implemented with the clubs that want to participate. Of course it poses problems, but I still remember the French Rugby League adventure in 1995 (Editor's note: with Jacques Fouroux), which was fabulous, with full stadiums and brilliant rugby league. Of the twenty Super XIII and Elite 2 clubs, eighteen have agreed to the idea of change and are open to discussion. We still have some time to work on it. Some clubs are very supportive because they understand that the French championship is going in circles.
What will the French team's schedule be this year?
We were hoping to play a match against Australia, who will be touring England in the fall. Unfortunately, the Australian players' union opposed additional playing time, even though the president of the Australian federation and the coach agreed. However, the Australian coach invited the French national team to share two days of training with them in England. This will be useful to us because a few days later, on Saturday, October 25, the French team will be gathered in Albi to play Jamaica, a qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup. The following week, I also hope to be able to organize a match in New Caledonia against Papua New Guinea or Fiji as part of the structuring of the XIII in this Pacific island. Then, for the year 2026, we have agreed with the English to organize two wheelchair matches in France in June, one men's match and one women's match, which would make four test matches against the English. This is essential before playing the World Cup in Australia in October and November 2026.
France is also a candidate to host World Cup events.
We have applied for the Women's World Cup in 2028 and for wheelchair rugby in 2029. For the women's event, it would be in Brittany and Loire-Atlantique, and for the wheelchair event, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, which is very interested in hosting it ahead of the 2030 Winter Olympics. The cities have already been chosen, along with Lyon and Saint-Chamond. The International Board should make a decision in September. We have a good chance of hosting the wheelchair event.
And what about the TV deal?
France 3 wants to bring rugby league back on the air. Negotiations are underway. France vs. Jamaica will be broadcast live on France 3, perhaps on the national network. France Télévisions could make a three-year commitment. But this step will have to be successfully completed. It's a great opportunity.
