The number one bank in France, Crédit Agricole sponsors the world's most important sports event of the end of this century. Crédit Agricole's ubiquitous branches are proof of its active involvement. Its aim is to let all the regions in France benefit from this large football festival before, as well as during the event.

A legitimate partnership

Because for the past 20 years on a local level and for the past 12 years nationally, in collaboration with the French Football Federation, Crédit Agricole has played an active role in French amateur football in helping to organise the Challenge de l'Offensive. This year, Crédit Agricole has stepped up its involvement with youth football through prestigious national competitions (Coupe Gambardella - Crédit Agricole, National League Cup for 16s, National Youth Championships for under - 15s and under - 17s).

A natural step

Crédit Agricole has always fostered progress and been an integral part of local life in all French regions. Quite naturally then, it has chosen to utilise the strength of its network to ensure that FRANCE 98 is a popular success. In its capacity as an information organ and sales outlet for World Cup Passes, Crédit Agricole hopes to ensure that people all over the country will have access to the World Cup. This special event is the opportunity for the men and women that run the Crédit Agricole network to consolidate and build upon customer relations, but also to demonstrate to non-Crédit Agricole customers, in the pleasant atmosphere created by the World Cup, the impressive range and quality of services that the bank offers.

Each sunday, all over France, around a million registered players
turn up to compete in the "Challenge de l'offensive."

As a large bank that values each one of its customers, Crédit Agricole like the World Cup incarnates the universal values of enthusiasm and sharing. For this reason, it is hoping to offer people all over the country the opportunity to participate in FRANCE 98. In the coming months therefore, a number of local events are being planned in the various sectors of activity in which Crédit Agricole plays an active part.

The Crédit Agricole is already a sponsor with the French Football Federation of the Programme "T'es jeune, t'es foot" which will allow more than 4,000 young players to become ball boys or to play curtain raiser matches for the World Cup.

A prestigious association

Through its involvement in FRANCE 98 Crédit Agricole is hoping to enhance both its reputation and image. And by becoming an official partner to the sporting event most widely-covered by the world's media, it is confirming itself as a bank of universal proportions. It is the leading French bank in terms of market share and revenue, and counts itself among the world's biggest in terms of equity base. Its French network of almost 8,200 branches offers an increasing number of banking and financial services to satisfy its customers ever changing needs.

In acquiring in 1996 the Indosuez bank, Crédit Agricole added an extra dimension to its world-wide ambition and placed it among the foremost of international companies.

• 8,200 branches and 5,500 cash dispensers throughout France
• 15 million customers
• 5.5 million mutual owners and 37,000 local board members
• 85,000 employees
• 16.7% of corporate lending market
• Management of 22% of bank savings market in France
• Net profit of FF 7 billion
• FF 147 billion equity.
  
  Based on 31 December, 1996.

• Initial preparations began in April 96
• 5,000 staff members trained to offer top quality service to the general public
• 8,000 branches at the public's disposal to provide ticketing information
• 2,500 of these branches available to reserve FRANCE 98 Passes
• A special logistic programme to ensure the administrative follow-up
• The largest ticketing network ever set up for a sports event.