YouGov has revealed five key stats into how football fans around the UK plan to watch Euro 2024.
The research conducted by the organisation reveals that 44% of respondents intend to follow the tournament, with 45% of these enthusiasts aiming to watch as many games as possible. Another 25% will focus exclusively on matches featuring their supported nation, while 22% will follow the tournament more casually.
These statistics show that the tournament continues to captivate widespread attention across the UK, despite only Scotland and England participating.
When it comes to following the tournament, fans were asked to select all options that apply to them and a resounding 84% of viewers plan to watch games live on TV, while 40% will rely on highlights.
Additionally, 34% intend to watch matches out-of-home, such as at pubs or bars, while 29% stay updated through newspapers and 28% via social media. Another fifth of all respondents (20%) will follow live matches online.
Interestingly, 46% of respondents plan to watch Euro 2024 with their partners, highlighting a significant trend towards a shared viewing experience. Meanwhile, 39% will watch with friends, 31% alone and 26% with their children.
This significant preference for television viewing coincides with the BBC and ITV securing broadcasting rights for UEFA Euro 2024 and UEFA Euro 2028 – to be held across the UK – in a media deal with UEFA.
As these matches will be broadcasted free-to-air, football fans across the UK can enjoy the tournament without any subscription fees, ensuring broad accessibility and high viewership nationwide.
However, subscription fees are increasingly prevalent in football. While many fans currently believe that major international tournaments – traditionally broadcast free-to-air – will always remain accessible, the recent partial shift of the FA Cup to TNT Sports for the upcoming season serves as a cautionary example that this could change in the future.
In a revealing club versus country debate, 55% of fans stated they would prefer their club to win the league title over their national team clinching the European championship, contrasting with 39% who prioritised national glory.
Finally, Adidas and Coca-Cola emerge as the most associated brands with Euro 2024 among British fans, with 28% associating Coca-Cola and 27% associating Adidas. Lidl follows distantly at 10%, while Booking.com garners 7%.
These stats come a week after a study by retail sales consultancy Sellex, which found that there is only a minimal difference in consumer recognition between official Euro 2024 sponsors and non-sponsors.
Sellex’s findings revealed a decrease in the percentage of participants who correctly recognise sponsors of Euro 2024 as age increases, particularly among those who responded with “I don’t know”.
This ultimately called into question how effectively sponsorships are being activated and the value for money in terms of consumer and shopper engagement.
