Imagine it’s the World Cup – and a lot of people are looking away. A representative infratest-dimap poll commissioned by Sportschau and conducted on November 8th and 9th showed that a clear majority wanted to ignore the tournament. Another 15 percent want to watch fewer games than usual.
Ten days before the start of the tournament in Qatar, 63 percent of the women and 48 percent of the men ruled out even watching a single game – a total of 56 percent of the 1,225 German citizens surveyed wanted to ignore the broadcasts.
Around every tenth citizen is still unsure. Only a good third assumes that they will definitely follow the World Cup. 18 percent assume that they will see a similar number of games as in previous tournaments, only two percent believe that there will be even more.
The main point of criticism is the situation in Qatar
The most frequently mentioned reason for rejection is general disinterest in football (50 percent). Those who are generally inclined towards football, but still want to follow the World Cup less intensively or not at all, are primarily upset by the political situation in the host country: the way guest workers are treated and the tense human rights situation on site affects the mood for 41 percent .
Qatar’s World Cup ambassador Khalid Salman recently described homosexuality as “mental damage” and “sin” in a ZDF documentary.
FIFA’s electoral behavior also in focus
In second place for the citizens who are critical or opposed to the World Cup is the opaque award by the world football association FIFA with 30 percent. Qatar got the tournament, although the bid was rated as the worst by the FIFA committee at the time. Even the controversial ex-FIFA boss Sepp Blatter ironically asked: “By what miracle did Qatar get the World Cup with the worst bid?” In his opinion, it was one “political interference” negotiated by former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who put pressure on then-UEFA President Michel Platini.
The focus of international investigations was a lunch on November 23, 2010 in the Élysée Palace in Paris. Also at the table were Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, then Crown Prince and now Emir of Qatar, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Gulf State, Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, and Michel Platini, then head of the European football union Uefa. At the beginning of December, a few days after this meal, the decision was made in favor of Qatar.
Winter time is not the big problem
The lack of sustainability of the stadiums and sports facilities in the desert is decisive for 22 percent, eleven percent are bothered by the lack of football tradition in the host country. Surprisingly few fans, namely only 16 percent, are annoyed by the unusual winter timing of the tournament.
Gladbach coach Daniel Farke is clearly one of these 16 percent: “The assignment to Qatar was of course a mistake. And also the timing in winter,” he said on Thursday (November 10, 2022). “For me as a traditionalist and football romantic, a World Cup has to take place in the summer with bratwurst and a cold drink. This now feels more like mulled wine and shortbread.”
