CFL finds friends in France

LONDON — The CFL has reached a partnership with the French American Football Federation.

The two sides announced the deal Tuesday. The agreement calls for each league to work to grow football by providing new opportunities for players.

“This is the perfect extension of everything we are working to accomplish with our CFL 2.0 strategy,” CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in a statement. “On every point, we found common ground, a shared drive to grow the game of football.”

This is the third such partnership reached by the CFL.

In November, the CFL secured an agreement with the Liga de Futbol Americano Profesional in Mexico before doing the same last week with the German Football League (GFL).

In January, the CFL held a combine for Mexican players in Mexico before its nine teams selected 27 players in a threeround draft.

And part of the arrangement with the GFL calls for select players to be invited to participate in the CFL’s national combine in Toronto next month.

Under terms of this deal, a select group of French players will also work out in the national combine. In addition, Canadian players who have completed their U Sports and junior eligibility will be able to play in France.

The two sides also agreed to share resources by working to facilitate coaching exchanges and the development of officials as well as seek a broadcast/ streaming deal to make CFL games and first division French games available to fans in France.

“We have had a strong link with Canada for the past 15 years,” said Tristan Genet, the FAFF’s chief financial officer.

There are more than 100 players from France playing football for Quebec CEGEP and university teams.

Ambrosie is due to meet with football officials from Austria, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark later this week.