Everything you need to know about the French Bridge Federation (FFB)
The French Bridge Federation (FFB) was founded in 1933 to organise and promote bridge in France. Since its inception, it has established itself as the benchmark organisation for all bridge enthusiasts, running competitions and national championships and supporting local clubs.
The key player in bridge in France
Today, the FFB has 85,000 members and actively works to develop bridge among young people, seniors and all generations. It also plays a major role on the international scene, participating in world and European competitions.
Role and operation of the French Bridge Federation
The FFB operates like a traditional sports federation. It consists of:
A national headquarters, based in the Paris region, which is responsible for administrative management, competition development and training.
Regional leagues and committees, which coordinate local activities and support affiliated bridge clubs.
Bridge clubs (more than 1,000 are affiliated!), spread throughout the country, which offer lessons, tournaments and convivial activities to introduce and retain players.
The Federation also implements a national ranking system based on Expert Points and Performance Points, enabling players to progress according to their performance in tournaments.
📊 Better understand the federation rankings
The FFB ranking system allows each player to be positioned nationally, based on points and indexes which reflect both attendance and skill level. Two types of points are awarded for each tournament participation:
Expert Points (EP) → They reflect your activity and cumulative results over time.
Performance Points (PP) → They value your best recent performances and serve as a basis for ranking the top players.
Lower series are ranked based on EPs, while top series (index 65 and above) are ranked solely based on PPs in order to better reflect the current competitive level.
The Value Index (VI) reflects your regular activity in all types of tournaments. It is used to determine your series.
The Competition Index (CI) is for competitors. It is calculated from your 7 best federation results and is used to compare players and determine the divisions in which each can register.
Each member is allocated a series, which reflects their level of achievement.
There are four main series (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th), and within each, several hierarchical "suits": Spades (the strongest), Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs.
The best players belong to the 1st National Series, followed by the other levels according to the number of points accumulated and the performances achieved.
Bridge clubs: A national network
With over 1,000 clubs throughout France, the French Bridge Federation offers everyone the opportunity to play bridge close to home. These clubs are places to meet, learn and compete.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, FFB clubs offer tailored training, friendly tournaments and official competitions. They actively participate in social and community life, promoting sharing and intergenerational exchange, especially via youth clubs (for example, the "Quais des Jeunes Bridgeurs").
A competitive spirit and a tradition of excellence
Every year, the French Bridge Federation sets up a calendar full of national competitions bringing together thousands of players. These events offer the opportunity to win titles, Expert Points and Performance Points.
Main national competitions organised by the FFB
Among the most prestigious is the French Pairs Championships, a true benchmark for measuring the consistency and teamwork of pairs. The French Teams Championships highlights team spirit and collective strategy. These two competitions are levelled by series, then by national divisions for the best bridge players. The French Trophy offers a convivial format and is open to a wider audience.
Other events punctuate the FFB calendar, such as the Interclubs, split into five divisions and for which registration is done through your bridge club, youth and senior competitions, mixed championships and women's championships. Every member can find a competition suited to their level and preferences. The Teams French Cup is the only knockout tournament organised at the national level.
👩💼 Women's bridge, a priority
For several years, the FFB has been actively committed to promoting the role of women in high-level bridge.
Starting from a simple observation —many women play in clubs but remain under-represented in national and international competitions—, the federation has created women's and mixed categories for its official competitions.
The objective is to offer suitable playing areas, encourage more female players to take the step towards federation competition, and allow them to progress in an environment where they feel confident.
In addition to official championships, the French Bridge Federation organises several bridge festivals every year, attracting a wide audience from casual players to seasoned competitors. These events, often held in tourist towns or seaside resorts, combine conviviality, competition and cultural discovery. Among the best known are the Biarritz Festival and the La Baule Festival, true summer not-to-be-missed events for many enthusiasts, as well as other regional festivals which enliven bridge at the federation level throughout the year. They allow members to meet up in a festive setting and enjoy a friendly atmosphere.
🎉 Festi'Tournaments: play and go to a festival!
Throughout the year, the FFB and Funbridge run Festi'Tournaments. These are online tournaments open to all, offering the chance to win invitations to the biggest bridge festivals in France.
The principle is simple: you play 10 deals on Funbridge, you earn Expert Points just like in a standard federation tournament and you can win a free entry to a festival!
The top 5 players and 5 randomly drawn players usually win entry to the associated event.
From Biarritz to Annecy, via Bordeaux and Roussillon, these tournaments have become truly friendly gatherings, where online competition and major festivals come together!
International competitions and French bridge teams
The French Bridge Federation also plays a major role on the international stage by selecting and supporting the French teams in the world's biggest competitions. These events allow the best French players, whether from the Open, Women's, Seniors, Youth and Mixed categories, to represent France and the excellence of French bridge.
French players regularly participate in the European Championships, held every two years, where France has often shone with its performances. These championships allow players to qualify for the World Teams Championships (called the Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup or d'Orsi Trophy depending on the category). There is also the Bridge Olympiad, a true global showcase for the sport, held every four years.
And France isn't just successful at the table, it also regularly hosts major international competitions. In particular, it organised the Bermuda Bowl and the World Teams Championships in 2017 in Lyon, the Olympiad in 2012 in Lille, as well as several big European events over the years, such as the Transnational Championships in Strasbourg in 2023.
🏆 And what about the results?
On the world stage, the French teams are among the leading bridge nations.
In the Open category, they won the prestigious Bermuda Bowl in 1997, then distinguished themselves on home soil by taking silver in 2017. They also shone in Europe with a title in 2016.
In the Women's category, France is a benchmark: three World Championship victories (2005, 2011, 2015) and silver at the 2024 European Championships.
In the Mixed category, France stood out with two gold medals in 2022 (European Championships and Wuhan Cup). The Seniors became world champions in 2011, then European champions in 2012.
The next generation of French players is also promising: the U21s were crowned world champions in 2017, the junior women's team won the title in 2014, and numerous European titles and podiums have been achieved by the U26s and U26 Girls.
Winners of the "Wuhan Cup" Mixed World Championships in 2022
Philippe Cronier, Bénédicte Cronier, Vanessa Reess, Lionel Sebbane, Joanna Zochowska, Pierre Schmidt.
The FFB places great importance on young players, with competitions dedicated to all ages: minors, schoolchildren, juniors, and under 31s. To facilitate access to these events, entry fees are at least halved for young people at federation festivals and competitions.
The French youth teams benefit from exceptional support: regular training sessions, training camps supervised by the FFB, and all expenses paid to represent France at European and World Championships.
Many young talents are already making their mark on Funbridge: several Beat the Start tournament hosts come from the junior teams, and the platform makes a point of putting this new generation in the spotlight, especially through blog articles.
The French Bridge Federation and Funbridge: A long story
To adapt the practice of bridge to new digital habits, the FFB entered into a partnership with Funbridge in 2004.
Thanks to this partnership:
Players can participate in numerous FFB tournaments on Funbridge (regular tournaments, special tournaments with prizes, school tournaments, etc.).
The results are officially recognised by the French Bridge Federation.
Participants earn Expert Points just like in a club.
These points count for the official FFB rankings, allowing players to progress and compare their level nationally.
This collaboration makes bridge more accessible and flexible, as it is now possible to play at any time, from home or on the go, while remaining connected to the federation system.
Free FFB membership
The French Bridge Federation membership is offered to all new members. Become a member and start accumulating Expert Points! It couldn't be easier: just fill in this form.
It's your turn!
Participate now in a FFB tournament on Funbridge and start accumulating Expert Points to climb the national rankings.
