The Ariège firefighters at futsal training, to win their French championship which is held on February 8 and 9 near Foix

The second edition of the French futsal championship reserved for firefighters will be played at home, on February 8 and 9, 2025. The sports hall in Ferrières-sur-Ariège, a town bordering Foix, will host sixteen teams, which our soldiers will compete against Ariège fire. And our local athletes have one goal: “Finish in the top three because we are organizing the competition. Like July 12, 1998!”, enthuses Ludovic Garcia, the coach.

“Promote the Ariège firefighters”

To achieve this result, the Ariège firefighters train twice a month; athletes having to deal with their professional and voluntary activities. “We try to bring together as many departmental players as possible. I carry out training to work on combinations and placements. We organize an opposition match, that is to say a friendly match against teams from other available departments “, explains the coach. It relies on a team set up in Aude, in Belpech, with whom the links are strong, to encourage friendly meetings.

Ludovic Garcia wants to be confident for 2025. Last year, the Ariège team won tenth position out of sixteen teams. “It was a great place because we are not a big department for the practice of futsal. There, we want to increase our capacity. And we are hosting the second edition of the competition. Our goal is to promote this sport , and also to promote the Ariège firefighters.

Good level teams

Of the sixteen teams hosted, some will be worth watching, as their level will cause difficulties for the Ariégeois. There will be Hérault, “it is the 2024 French champion. They have a great level”, indicates Thierry Leblanc, president of the committee of the Foix 2025 organizing association. We will also have to be wary of the Rhône, the Haute-Garonne, Seine-et-Marne, Yvelines and the eastern Pyrenees.

Also read:
Ariège: a “successful” French football championship for the firefighters in Foix

For information, the sixteen teams did not undergo selections, they were simply the first to register out of the thirty teams in France.

The competition should be open to the general public free of charge. “We’ll see, it depends on whether we can ensure security,” notes Thierry Leblanc. This is financed by the Departmental and Regional Union of Firefighters, partners, the Foix Varilhes conurbation, the department, the region, etc.

The Ariège team is made up of 25 players, coming from Foix, Ax-les-Thermes, Pamiers, Auzat.