Has the World Cup brought more fans to football?

The World Cup is undoubtedly the biggest event in the world of sports, rivaled only by the Olympic Games. Fans, players, and event casual observers from all over the world gather in front of the TV to watch one of the most spectacular tournaments of all time.

The World Cup’s Success

The 2022 World Cup was certainly a great success. Not only did it draw in a huge live crowd, but it also attracted casual fans, who watched the matches during live streams or on the television. According to Qatari officials, 2022’s iteration of the World Cup achieved “high levels of excellence in all aspects”. 

One aspect in which the World Cup always carries success is the appeal to bettors. As the biggest event in the world’s most popular sport, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that the World Cup always draws in many punters. Especially when it comes to sportsbooks online.

Look at the numerous online betting websites, many of which covered the World Cup extensively. Quite a few of them saw great success. This boost in online sports betting also lead to quite a lot of people discovering internet casinos, where you can play all your favorite games, including poker, slots, roulette, and blackjack. 

The Teams’ Success

One of the chief reasons for the World Cup’s great success this year-round has to do with all the underdog teams managing to pull victory from the jaws of defeat. A prime example here would be the Croatian national team. Against all odds, Croatia defeated Brazil, and managed to place third overall in the World Cup. 

South Korea also put on an excellent display. While they didn’t manage to get out of the Round of 16, they played a spectacular match against Portugal, and won with a score of 2 – 1, sending ripples of shock throughout the global audience. 

Japan is another country that put on an excellent show. They defeated both Spain and Germany, and even played an incredible match against Croatia. Though the match against the Croats ended in a score of 1 – 1, Samurai Blue still lost in the penalty round. Despite that, the match left the world in awe of how much the team have improved, and they were welcomed back as heroes.

The Final

The Final of the World Cup is by far the biggest draw. And this year was no different. Billions of people tuned in to watch France and Argentina square off. France were the defending champions; however, the Argentine team was hungry for a win, especially since it was their captain’s, Lionel Messi’s, last shot at a World Cup trophy.

Of course, we all know how the match ended. Argentina won in the penalty round, and Messi finally earned his World Cup trophy, elevating him to the status of the generation’s greatest player in many people’s eyes. Since the World Cup, football matches views have increased, so quite a lot of people have indeed been won over by the event. 
 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Photo Credit : fifa.com