The invention relates to a friction coupling (1) having a counter-pressure plate (8), a pressure plate (5) that is rotationally fixed with respect thereto, and axially of a lever system (3, 3a), can be biased against the same, friction linings of a coupling disk (7) that is connected to a transmission input shaft in a rotationally fixed manner, said friction linings being arranged between the counter-pressure plate and the pressure plate, and an actuating device displacing the pressure plate along an actuating path on lever elements (9, 9a) arranged radially inside on the lever system and distributed around the periphery, and having a bearing carrier (18) displaced by way of a drive (25) and arranged coaxially around the transmission input shaft, and an actuating bearing (15) arranged between bearing support (18) and lever elements. In order to be able to actuate the friction coupling in both directions, the actuating device has an actuating bearing configured as a groove bearing for transmitting tensile and pressure forces onto the lever elements, and the lever elements are applied to a bearing ring of the groove bearing in both directions along the actuating path substantially free of play.