For the first match of the French women’s team in this 2026 edition of the 6 Nations Tournament, which took place on Saturday, April 11 against Italy, the Alpes Stadium in Grenoble had an exclusive stand for neurodivergent people. This initiative also allowed these supporters to enjoy the French victory with their families.
Coming from a partnership between the French Rugby Federation and the health insurance company Apicil, a stand specially adapted for neurodivergent people allowed many supporters to enjoy the first match of the Women’s Six Nations Tournament of the French rugby team against Italy with their families.
Neurodivergent people suffer from various conditions such as autism spectrum disorders, attention disorders, behavior disorders, or developmental disorders. The atmosphere of a fervent stadium behind their team can quickly become unbearable for these supporters, who are very sensitive to noise and lights. In this particularly noisy environment, neurodivergent people move and shout, as explained by Jacqueline, the mother of Jules, who is a sports enthusiast.
An initiative of Anglo-Saxon origin
These stands at the Alpes Stadium in Grenoble have a room where these supporters can isolate themselves from the stadium atmosphere. These facilities allow them to find peace with several amenities provided. Bean bags, dim lights, and noise-canceling headphones enable neurodivergent people to enjoy the game with their families, who are very satisfied with these accommodations.
“Without this room, I would never have brought my Theo here,” says Laëtitia, Theo’s mother, to France 3 Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. This adaptation has also won over her son: “When there is too much noise, I prefer to go to this room. When we are in this quiet room, with the door closed, it allows us to rest. Afterward, we wait until there is not much noise,” describes the young supporter of the French team.
Véronique Roux, an employee of the health insurance company Apicil, explains that she was inspired by similar rooms that already exist in several sports venues in Great Britain. “These are not very expensive accommodations: it could be quickly implemented with a little goodwill,” she details, suggesting that these facilities could be just as useful in theaters and other large events.
