From France to Japan via the United States, television audiences for the World Cup in Qatar remain powerful, despite calls for a boycott and the fall programming of the competition, Germany being an exception.
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"
The World Cup is still just as popular
", welcomed FIFA last week, relying in particular on the audiences for the Qatar-Ecuador opening match, up in some countries compared to that of the World Cup. 2018 in Russia.
A general increase in audiences
This was particularly the case in Brazil (24.3 million viewers on average, +6%), the United Kingdom (6.3 million, +57.5%), Colombia (5.5 million, increase not specified ) or in France (5.1 million, +30%).
The competition has however given rise to many controversies since December 2010 and its attribution to Qatar, whether on the subject of respect for human rights or even the protection of the environment.
But at a time when the viewing time of the small screen is inexorably decreasing in favor of the internet and online video platforms, "
major sporting events remain among the last high masses
" very unifying, underlines with the AFP Christophe Lepetit, from the Center for Sports Law and Economics in Limoges (central France).
This observation, observed at each World Cup or Euro, “
is not denied
” this year, adds the economist.
No boycott effect in France
In France, where the Blues gathered between 11 and 13 million viewers for their first two matches, "
clearly, there is no boycott effect
", also assures AFP Philippe Bailly, of the NPA Conseil cabinet.
These scores, close to those of 2018, are to be qualified, warns Christophe Lepetit, however, stressing that they are lower in terms of audience share (PDA), that is to say the share of viewers of the match on the whole population watching television.
In addition, the 2022 vintage is distinguished by the consideration in France by Médiamétrie of the “
out-of-home
” measurement (in bars, with friends, etc.), important for a World Cup.
Without it, “
we might see declines
,” says Christophe Lepetit, while conceding “
that there is no massive boycott.
We're not going to tell stories
."
In Spain, more than 11 million viewers (60.7% PDA) followed the clash between La Roja and Germany, the "
most viewed program of the year on all channels
" in the country, according to the public broadcaster TVE.
Quadruple world champion, the German team is however facing an unusual lack of love.
In 2018, the first three matches of the Nationalmannschaft had gathered an average of more than 26 million faithful, against 9 million this year for its inaugural defeat against Japan (2-1), and 17 million for its draw against Spain (1-1).
Schedules for certain matches, revelations about the living conditions of foreign workers in the small gas emirate, calls for a boycott from certain fan clubs... Various reasons explain the lack of enthusiasm in Germany.
World Cup: strong images of France-Australia
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Audiences to qualify
On the scale of the Old Continent, according to calculations by the French magazine Challenges, only 54 million Europeans followed the first match of their national team, against 94 million in 2018. But comparisons from one World Cup to another are to be taken with precaution, the figures varying in particular according to the schedule or the day of the matches.
And for Christophe Lepetit, this “
fits into a more global context of declining television consumption of this type of show
”, the most interesting encounters concentrating the audience peaks, and the best moments can be picked up online.
Africa, South America and Asia assert themselves as “
markets seeking very high-level football content
”, not necessarily concerned by the
rather Western “
boycott debates ”.
It is also difficult for supporters to ignore “
the only moment
” when their selection “
faces the best players in the world
”.
In Japan, audiences were boosted by the surprise victory of the "
Blue Samurai
" against Germany which, despite a late kick-off, garnered an audience of 35.3% in the Kanto region, where Tokyo is, according to Video Research.
Across the Atlantic, the United States - England meeting recorded a record audience for a men's football match in the USA, with more than 15 million viewers on average, according to FOX Sports.