Esports organisations from across France have joined forces to form the French Union of Professional Esports Clubs (UFCEP).
Members of the union include Team Vitality, Gentle Mates, Karmine Corp, and Solary, who will represent the country’s esports ecosystem and its fans.
According to a release, the UFCEP will play ‘a crucial role’ in the decisions made by tournament organisers, game publishers, and the government to continue the growth of esports in France. The union will also play a role in a wider strategy looking to build a more sustainable global esports ecosystem.
UFCEP will promote an open and inclusive model, allowing French esports organisations to join the union if they meet eligibility criteria. The union says adopting this approach will encourage diversity and unite them alongside the biggest organisations in the country.
Team Vitality CEO Nicolas Maurer has been named President of UFCEP, with representatives from Karmine Corp, Galions, Gentle Mates, GameWard, and Team AEGIS forming the rest of the Steering Committee.
2025 is shaping up to be a strong year for esports events in France. The Rocket League and Fortnite world championships head to Lyon in September, while the fighting game event EVO will host competitions for six titles in Nice in October.
Prior to the creation of UFCEP, the French government revealed plans to create an ecosystem for the industry back in September 2023. The plan aims to make France an attractive location for tournament organisers and publishers to host events. It also helps players secure esports visas, enabling them to compete internationally.
The topic of unions within the esports industry continues to arise among stakeholders. Although measures to avoid controversy and lengthy tournament schedules have seen success, there are still cases where the presence of a union to ensure stability makes the difference. If the creation of the union brings about stability and sustainability, it will be interesting to see if other organisations set up their own initiatives.
