How football fans are bringing the World Cup home

Another four years have gone by which can only mean one thing: the FIFA World Cup is back. Beginning on June 11 and running until late July, 48 nations will battle it out for one of football’s most coveted prizes. Yet with this year’s tournament taking place across North America and ticket prices soaring, not every supporter can experience it from the stands. Instead, stadium seats are being traded for couches and pub stools as fans across the UK prepare to follow the tournament from thousands of miles away.

But what is it about the World Cup that generates excitement, and how do fans recreate the buzz far from the heart of the action? To find out more, The Boar Sport asked Warwick students about their plans for following the tournament this summer.

For many respondents, the answer lies in the social side of football. No matter where they plan on watching the matches, the common thread was the communal viewing experience, whether that meant gathering with friends, watching alongside family, or squeezing into student living spaces with flatmates. Thus, in many ways, the FIFA World Cup feels as much like a social event as a sporting one. After all, what better excuse is there to come together to ‘chat about how good or rubbish teams are?’

To even be nominated for a national award was a huge honour

The Boar Sport survey respondent

While the desire for shared viewing remains consistent, where fans plan to watch appears more varied. With some fixtures expected to kick off late into the night for UK viewers, many supporters may opt to tune in at home, with 57% of respondents saying the unusual kick-off times would affect how they keep up with the competition. Crowded screenings are also not everyone’s cup of tea, so many are opting to enjoy matches from the comfort of their own homes.

Still, if timings allow for it, the pull of the pub atmosphere remains one of the biggest attractions for supporters hoping to experience matches alongside others. Over half of respondents said that they would be open to watching a match in a local pub. Many cited the lively atmosphere as part of the appeal, particularly the chance to enjoy the summer weather with friends and family while watching football outdoors. One respondent summed up the experience by stating that ‘having a beer in the pub while watching your country compete in the FIFA World Cup hits different,’ with another calling live screenings one of the best parts of the tournament experience.

Local venues are preparing to meet this demand.

For example, Bedford Street Bar, home to the largest outdoor beer garden in Leamington Spa’s town centre, is set to transform into a football fan park for the tournament, complete with a giant screen by the outdoor bar and others throughout the venue.

A Newsworks study found that 59% of Britons believe this summer’s competition will lift the nation’s mood

Additionally, the UK Government has confirmed that pubs will be permitted to stay open until 2am should one of the home nations reach the knockout stages, giving supporters more time to enjoy matches in public.

It is perhaps this sense of shared occasion that separates the FIFA World Cup from the rest of the football calendar.

Unlike club football, which can divide supporters by rivalries and loyalties, international tournaments create the rare experience of an entire nation rallying behind the same team.

Many respondents pointed to this sense of unity and celebration as what makes the competition feel so special. Described by one as a ‘festival of football’, the World Cup offers not only appreciation of the sport itself, but also the excitement of collectively celebrating national colours, victories, and disappointments together.

This feeling extends beyond Warwick students, with a Newsworks study finding that 59% of Britons believe this summer’s competition will lift the nation’s mood by creating more opportunities to socialise and come together.

Notably, it’s not just the year-round football fans who are drawn in by this sense of togetherness.

While 71% of respondents said they regularly follow football outside of international competitions, others admitted they rarely watch the sport at all during the season. Yet the FIFA World Cup still captures their attention.

Some respondents admitted they felt less connected to a World Cup hosted in the United States

Part of this comes down to accessibility. It can be difficult to feel emotionally connected to club football when unfamiliar teams and players are involved, but international tournaments offer casual viewers something far easier to buy into: the chance to support one’s home nation along with the rest of the public.

Yet, enthusiasm for this year’s competition is not universal.

Some respondents admitted they felt less connected to a World Cup hosted in the United States, citing concerns around ticket prices, political tensions, and the increasing commercialization of football.

One respondent argued that soaring costs risk pricing out ‘true fans’, particularly working-class supporters traditionally at the heart of football culture. For others, the political climate surrounding the host nation made the tournament feel harder to fully embrace.

Even so, these concerns do not appear to outweigh the tournament’s broader pull.

For many, the FIFA World Cup continues to offer something bigger than football alone: a reason for people to come together. Whether in packed pubs, student flats or family living rooms, the tournament remains capable of shrinking the distance between the pitch and those watching from afar.