France flag

France

1988, 2018

Just Fontaine scored 13 goals in only six World Cup appearances, all of them at the 1958 tournament. No player has ever scored more goals in a single World Cup.

France have reached the World Cup final in four of the last seven tournaments: 1998, 2006, 2018 and 2022.

France are the only nation to have won the World Cup after failing to qualify for the previous edition, missing out in 1994 before lifting the trophy in 1998.

In the opening match of the 2002 World Cup, defending champions France were stunned 1-0 by World Cup debutants Senegal.

Contributing firm

Racine Avocats

Contacts

Philippe Rogez

Workplace Q&A

1 What actions may an employer take if:

a) an employee is absent from work without authorisation because they were watching the World Cup?

Unauthorised absence constitutes a disciplinary offence.

The employer may impose a disciplinary sanction (warning, suspension, or dismissal). Dismissal may amount to gross misconduct depending on the circumstances.

b) an employee submits a suspicious medical certificate or other rationale to justify a work absence where the employer suspects the employee is watching or attending the World Cup?

Submitting a false certificate constitutes serious misconduct, or even gross misconduct. It may justify immediate dismissal.

It may also constitute a criminal offence (forgery and the use of forged documents).

c) the employer suspects an employee(s) of consuming alcohol at the workplace or within a proximate time before starting work; can an employer administer breathalysers in the workplace?

Breathalysers may be used if they are provided for in the internal regulations, justified by the nature of the employee's position (for example, for safety reasons), and proportionate.

d) the employer wishes to rearrange the work hours for all employees to accommodate the viewing of particular matches, e.g. their country's team?

An employer may adjust employees' working hours provided that:

such adjustments comply with the legal rules on working hours and rest periods and do not result in unequal treatment between employees; and
working hours are not radically modified (e.g. switching from a night shift to a day shift) without the employees' consent.

e) the employer suspects that employees are using company IT systems during work hours to watch matches (including the use of illegal streaming services) and/or to participate in gambling related to the World Cup (including illegal gambling)?

Improper use of work equipment during working hours constitutes misconduct and is considered a more serious offence if the equipment is used for unlawful activity.

The employer may impose a disciplinary sanction (warning, suspension, or dismissal).

f) an employee potentially misconducts themselves outside of working time either at a staff-organised World Cup event or an unorganised event?

Generally speaking, events that occur outside working hours and away from the workplace fall within the employee's private life. The employer may, however, take disciplinary action if the employee's conduct has a detrimental impact on the company's reputation.

2 If a country declares a national holiday on the day the country's team plays (or later for a celebration), are employees who work on those days entitled to overtime pay or time off in lieu etc?

There is no automatic entitlement to increased pay or compensatory time off for working on a public holiday, with the exception of 1 May (Labour Day). However, such benefits may be granted under a collective agreement.

3 Is it lawful for a company's employees to conduct office pools at the workplace? Would there be any restrictions on the amount of money to enter or the amount of compensation awarded?

Gambling is prohibited unless a specific exemption applies, which is not the case for sports gambling in the workplace.

4 May employers prohibit public displays of rival country team colours in the workplace?

This is only acceptable if the ban is justified on grounds of security, reputation, and neutrality, on the one hand, and is proportionate, on the other.

If not, there is a significant risk that this could be seen as an infringement of employees' freedom of expression.

5 Could an employer be subject to a discrimination claim if accommodations are given in respect of watching games played by one gender but not the other, or for watching certain nations' games (e.g. home nation) but not others?

A distinction must be made between the two situations:

Indirect discrimination on the grounds of gender may arise where arrangements allow employees to watch matches played by teams of one gender but not the other, as this may place greater value on one gender over the other.
In principle, arrangements allowing employees to attend matches played by the national team are not discriminatory.

6 Any other advice you would give to employers in your jurisdiction ahead of the World Cup?

Most matches will be broadcast outside normal working hours. Therefore, companies do not need to put many measures in place in connection with the World Cup. However, informal events designed to bring staff together could be organised around the tournament.