Apps like Poteau, Footinho, Joga, Smatchy in France or Playtomic in Italy allow thousands to play without being registered with a club. On Poteau, the best-known app, a single, solitary enthusiast can join an organized game near home or take the initiative and create one. Widespread especially in 5-a-side football within private facilities where a fee must be paid, this practice has now also been extended to open-air pitches with free access.
“This allows us to fill gaps in matches if someone leaves at the last moment and also encourages lonely people to socialize through football,” Timothé Genreau, founder of Poteau, told the French newspaper. The young entrepreneur created the app in 2023 on the basis of Krank Club, a former popular application for organizing matches. Poteau has exploded: over 80,000 players in France, more than 200 games a day and partnerships with more than thirty private centers. «We often receive feedback from users who tell us that they can finally play football freely, without being forced to train» he reveals.
This observation is also shared by Guillaume Cazcarra, a former club player who founded the Hexacup football league and the Kollectif app. «After the health crisis of 2020 I wanted to play again, but not in a club, because I was studying and I didn’t want to complicate my life», he says. He thus opted to launch a tournament project between friends in Bordeaux that quickly transformed into a free national league: Hexacup. «The way it works is simple: each person can create their own team with other players. They train and organize matches whenever they want on a free-access pitch” explains Cazcarra. All with an eye to the environment. This fake “District Championship”, in fact, has the particularity of forcing the teams to carry out at least one ecological action per year. «We establish a final ranking based on sporting results and ecological actions. Then we organize the play-offs and a great national final” he continues.
After five years of existence, the Hexacup League can already count on over 2,000 teams. It mainly attracts young high school students eager to play among friends. «They are former club members who have realized that they can no longer make it in football. I want to continue playing for fun” underlines Cazcarra. On Poteau, the profiles are more varied. «More than 50% of the players are over 30 years old, but there are also many students. And they come from all social backgrounds. In Paris you often see matches that bring together La Défense leaders and young people from the suburbs”, says Timothé Genreau.
These games organized via apps are especially successful in large cities. It is no coincidence that in France Paris represents the epicenter of diffusion: in Poteau, the capital concentrates over 80% of the players and matches. The rest is divided between other large metropolises such as Toulouse, Lyon or Nantes. «These applications are suitable for urban contexts because they put people who don’t know each other in contact» analyzes sociologist Benoît Coquard. And he adds: «In rural centres, people go to the stadium with friends they already know: everything works on the basis of personal relationships».
At the same time, clubs continue to attract footballers. In 2024, the French Football Federation had more than 2.3 million members, a record. For the sociologist there is no doubt: these apps will struggle to develop in the countryside. «Clubs remain the main offer for young people – he explains – they are structures that help social integration the most». And they also allow you to improve under the guidance of the coaches. Every player now has the opportunity to choose: clubs, applications or both. Considering the costs, especially in big cities, it’s a safe bet that Poteau and company will live on for a long time to come.
