France

COLLECTIF EN JEU

Collectif EN JEU is the Homeless World Cup Partner in France. As a collective of a number of associations and other organisations, they organise sports events as well as cultural programmes for disadvantaged people.

Originally organised by the Parisian collective “Remise en jeu,” Team France have been participating in the Homeless World Cup since 2004. Since 2011, Collectif EN JEU, based in and around Montpellier, have taken on the organisation of the annual national tournament “Tournoi national de la solidarité” (National Solidarity Tournament). They are also in charge of the selection, training, and preparation of the French Team prior to the Homeless World Cup.

ORGANISATION DETAILS

PARTICIPANTS

Homeless men and women living in supported accommodation or in hostels.

LOCATIONS

Avignon, Lille, Marseille, Montauban, Paris, Poitiers, Rodez, Vesoul and Montpellier.

Country statistics

28 out of 189 in Human Development Index rating (UNDP, 2022)

Average annual salary per person $45,180 (World Bank, 2023)

2,000 children were forced to sleep outside in France in 2024 (UNICEF, 2024)

France is an influential global country in Western Europe with population of 66.6 million (Worldometer, 2025). 2.1 million people live in capital city, Paris in the north of the country.

As of December 2023, France was the third largest refugee host country in Europe with 700,000 refugees and asylum seekers living in the country (UN Security Council, 2023).

Homelessness in France is an ongoing problem, as of 2024 the country has the second highest rate of homelessness in Europe behind the United Kingdom. France has struggled to tackle the rising number of people who are facing homelessness, with the numbers doubling between 2010 and 2023 with a shortage of affordable housing being given as one of the main causes for people becoming homeless (Euronews, 2024).

735 people died on the streets in France in 2023, which is the highest figure since reporting began in 2012. The figure could be higher, and up to 826 if it included people who were no longer homeless, but who had spent periods of their life street homeless. The average age of people who died on the streets is 49, almost 30 years younger than the average life expectancy in France (RFI, 2024).

UNICEF reported in 2024 that more than 2,000 children were forced to sleep outside in France each night, including more than 400 under the age of 4. This was after families called the emergency housing number 115 and were unable to receive support. They also expressed concerns that the numbers appeared to be rising, with figures seeing a 120% rise from 2020. They also explained that figures would likely be higher as it did not include those who did not call the emergency number and were living in temporary camps and shelters (RFI, 2024).

In 2023 the French government published a five-year plan to tackle homelessness and build more affordable housing through Housing First. The Housing First model was introduced in 2017, since then some 440,000 people who were experiencing homelessness have been able to access housing through the model. The French Government believes that prevention and fast response to people at risk will be key to reducing the number of people at risk, and experiencing homelessness in France. (FEANTSA, 2024).

There is a significant lack of temporary accommodation available through France’s housing system, which is often overwhelmed by the amount of emergency calls (EOH, 2018).

The Homeless World Cup took place in French capital, Paris, in 2011.