History & Founders

LE FIVE and its founders have made sport for all a priority.

In 2008, LE FIVE and SOCCER PARK each began developing their own network of sports facilities, both with the same goal: providing pitches in places that needed them.

They fostered the growth of five-a-side football in France, which has gone on to become the most widespread sport, with five million players a year.

By simplifying football, the world's most popular sport, the initial idea was to give people who had stopped playing a way to get back into it by breaking down the barriers preventing them from finding a game.

Smaller pitches, no need for any particular prowess. Just the love of the sport. Play with anyone, anytime. Together.

In 2016, LE FIVE and SOCCER PARK decided to pool their strengths and synergies, merging to create a comprehensive range of facilities throughout France. The new LE FIVE group kicked off a strategy designed to offer people an unparalleled experience, both on the pitch and in the sports bar, with a round-the-clock presence on digital platforms.

Building on lessons learned from English-speaking markets, along with two healthy doses of inspiration and investment, the group pioneered digitalisation in the market and made it easier for people to play (thanks to online bookings and split payments) while enhancing the experience on the pitch (with the help of individual and team statistics and video footage), all underpinned by innovation.

The group has continued to diversify by innovating and exploring other disciplines, and is now one of the European leaders in indoor sport. It is also spearheading the growth of Padel Tennis, a new sport trending across the country.

It set up the first Padel courts in 2014 and, four years later, launched the 4PADEL brand, which is now the leading network in France, with close to a hundred Padel courts.

And the group is still growing. It now has 34 LE FIVE five-a-side facilities in France (three in Paris and one on the island of La Réunion), along with 16 4PADEL clubs for Padel Tennis (including an all-Padel complex in Toulouse, the country’s seedbed for the sport).

In 2019, LE FIVE played its first "away game", in Sacramento, California, where it has set up two facilities that offer a winning blend of everything that makes the sport and culture of five-a-side such a success: top-quality synthetic turf, sports bar with large-screen TV to broadcast the best matches and events, and a talented team of staff who cater to players' every need.

Every year, LE FIVE impacts the lives of thousands of young players in a positive way. We have always strived to make sure our facilities don't sit empty, by making them available virtually or completely free of charge during the day. This has led to 300 annual agreements and over 10,000 hours of game time through outreach initiatives at our centres in France—celebrating the wealth of diversity among the people who love the sport.

LE FIVE is one big family in which everyone puts in the work and shares the same hopes, dreams, and values. All enshrined in three things found on the pitch: team spirit, high standards and a love of the game.

That's why we keep pushing forward and growing day by day, while making sure our players get the most out of the experience. It's all about the vibe, the people, the community.

Game on !