Why Football Fans Still Watch Live Sports: Changing Football Viewing Habits

Our Question of the Day shows just how different people follow football. In a recent poll about the European football finals, 19.8% of respondents said they watched most of the matches live. Another 17.5% mainly tuned in for the biggest matches, while 15.2% followed more casually, catching the highlights or checking the results afterwards. At the other end of the scale, 34.1% said they didn't follow the football finals at all. 

The findings, featured in our article “Champions League Final: What Fans Think,” reinforce that there's no single way to be a football fan. 

A separate Question of the Day, featured in “Global Football Competition: Unforgettable Moments,” found a similarly varied picture. 27.9% of respondents described themselves as casual viewers who tune in for the biggest moments. Another 17.3% preferred watching with friends, family or colleagues, while 9.9% considered themselves passionate supporters who rarely miss a match. 

These results suggest that being interested in football doesn't mean following every fixture. Some people want the full tournament experience. Others pick and choose. They might care deeply about a particular team, a final or a high-stakes match without feeling the need to watch everything that surrounds it.

There’s another factor that can shape whether someone watches a match live: if it fits into their everyday life. In “Football Viewing Habits: Would You Stay Up Late for This Summer's Biggest Tournament?” an Ipsos iSay survey asked 1,630 online adults aged 18 - 75+ across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain how they planned to follow a major global football tournament when matches didn’t fit easily around their schedules. 

When asked: “Many matches will kick off late at night or in the early morning hours in Europe. How will this affect your viewing?“, our respondents had different preferences. The answers show just how much timing can affect the way people watch. Among respondents, 25% said they would rely on highlights and replays. Another 27% planned to watch only matches that finished before midnight, while 20% said they would be willing to stay up late or get up early to watch live.  

For many viewers, following a tournament is simply about finding what works. A late kick-off doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve lost interest. It might just mean catching the highlights the next day instead.

That raises a bigger question. If you can catch the highlights later, check the score online or find out what happened on social media, why watch a match live? 

Part of the appeal of watching a match live is that the outcome is still unknown. A recorded programme has already happened. A highlight reel has human-chosen, past moments worth watching. With live sport, you don't know how the story will end. An underdog might pull off a surprise win. A favourite could lose. A match that looks predictable might suddenly go to extra time or penalties. Anything can change in a matter of minutes. 

Our Ipsos iSay article “Global Football Competition: Unforgettable Moments” asked what could make a major football tournament particularly memorable. Among respondents, 21.8% chose to see their favourite qualified team win. Almost as many, 21.3%, said an underdog reaching the final would make the tournament memorable. Another 12.2% picked a dramatic finish in extra time or penalties. 

There’s a clear link between those answers: none of these moments can be predicted. That’s part of what makes live sport so compelling, and what on-demand entertainment can’t quite replicate. You’re not just finding out what happened. You’re there as it happens, watching the outcome unfold without knowing where it will lead.

If people are selective about the football they watch, why do the biggest tournaments still attract so much attention? The Ipsos Predictions 2026 survey asked 23,642 adults across 30 countries about their expectations for the year ahead. Despite the huge range of entertainment available, 59% of people globally said they planned to watch the 2026 global tournament. 

That doesn’t mean 59% planned to watch every match. The findings show that many people pick and choose what they watch. And perhaps that’s exactly why major tournaments remain so compelling. You don’t have to watch everything to feel part of a major sporting event. People can choose different matches, follow the action in different ways and still care about the same tournament, result or unexpected moment. 

That’s something personalised entertainment can’t always offer: the chance for individual viewing choices to become a shared conversation. 

The UEFA Super Cup is just one match, but it has many of the ingredients that make live sport so compelling: two recent European champions, one trophy and a result that’s still up for grabs. 

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) enters as the UEFA Champions League winner, while Aston Villa arrives as the UEFA Europa League winner. The match is also being staged in Salzburg for the first time. For a dedicated supporter, that could be more than enough reason to tune in. 

A more casual viewer might be interested because of the teams, the stakes, or simply the chance that something unexpected could happen. Others may catch the result through highlights, social media, or a conversation with friends afterwards. They might not all follow the same amount of football, but they can still end up talking about the same moment. Being a fan doesn’t mean you have to watch everything; sometimes it’s about knowing which moments you don’t want to miss.

At Ipsos iSay, we’re always interested in what you think about the topics people are talking about right now, from major sporting events and entertainment to lifestyle trends and current affairs. 

Want to have your say? 

Join Ipsos iSay and become part of a community where people share their opinions through surveys and daily polls. As a member, you’ll have the chance to take part in research, earn rewards, and see how your views compare with those of others. 

*Sources: 

Ipsos iSay Question of the Day featured in “Champions League Final: What Fans Think.” These results represent Ipsos iSay web visitors and members across Europe, conducted from 20 to 22 May 2026 

Ipsos iSay survey on viewership intent and behaviour around the 2026 World Football tournament. Base: 1,630 online adults aged 18–75+ across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, interviewed 19 May–10 June 2026. 

Ipsos iSay Question of the Day featured in “Global Football Competition: Unforgettable Moments.” These results represent Ipsos iSay web visitors across North America and Europe, conducted June 4 - 11, 2026, and may not reflect the views of the general population.   

Ipsos Predictions 2026. Base: 23,642 adults across 30 countries. The survey found that 59% globally planned to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup.* 

Use of AI

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Disclaimer:  

This article is not sponsored by, endorsed by, or affiliated with the FIFA World Cup or UEFA Super Cup. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.