Soccer has been a popular sports in France since 1880. Major cities, such as Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Paris, and Lille, have their own professional soccer teams. Amateur teams for both men and women, and for all ages, exist in communities large and small. Schools in France do not organize competitions for soccer or any other sport. Young people can begin playing competitively at age 14. Soccer also has the largest television following of any sport in France. Some 21 million viewers tuned in to watch the last Coupe du Monde (or World Cup) finals.
