At Least 76% Urban Indians Plan To Watch FIFA World Cup 2022: Survey

Recent survey suggests that at least three in four urban Indians (76 per cent) are planning to watch the FIFA World Cup 2022. The respondents claimed to be avid followers of soccer/ football and had heard of the FIFA World Cup.

According to the survey, football enthusiasts in India say they will be watching the FIFA World Cup 2022 matches on multiple screens: 45 per cent on TV, 42 per cent on internet and 38 per cent on any mobile device. Interestingly, global football fans too displayed similar preferences of gizmos in the same pecking order: 41 per cent will watch on TV, 20 per cent on internet and 15 per cent on the mobile device.  

The markets most enthusiastic about watching the FIFA games were Indonesia (80 per cent), Argentina (79 per cent), Peru (78 per cent), Brazil (77 per cent), and Colombia (72 per cent).  

"While India has never been a qualifier/ qualifying team at the FIFA World Cup tournament, the event per se is a major draw among urban Indians – especially among those aware of FIFA and following the game of soccer - given the sheer experience of watching top soccer teams and their iconic world class players slugging it out.  The global event has a lot of stickiness among soccer enthusiasts. And a great opportunity for brands to connect with their key target groups,” says Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India.     

The survey revealed that 85 per cent urban Indians said they intend watching the games with their family and friends; 81 per cent urban Indians said they will watch the games with their work colleagues; 74 per cent football enthusiasts in urban India said they will have a good luck charm kept during the games and 68 per cent football enthusiasts polled in India said they will buy world cup themed products etc.   

Further, at least six in 10 urban Indians polled (60 per cent) claimed to be enthusiastic followers of soccer/ football. While, almost four in 10 global citizens (39 per cent) claimed to be following soccer. 

Markets that claimed to follow the sport of soccer/ football most, included, Indonesia (69 per cent), Saudi Arabia (67 per cent) and United Arab Emirates (65 per cent). Globally, India emerged 4th among 34 markets covered in the survey, in its enthusiasm towards the sport of football/ soccer. 

The markets following soccer least were Japan (14 per cent), Canada (15 per cent), Hungary (18 per cent) and the US (19 per cent), according to the Ipsos Global Survey on Attitudes towards the FIFA World Cup 2022.