Calls for a boycott of the World Cup in Qatar seem heard on the side of Germany. While Les Bleus’ TV audiences are generally satisfactory with in particular 11.5 million viewers ahead of France-Denmark last weekend (62.8% market share), on the side of our German neighbors, the trend is clearly different. .
Sunday evening, the Nationalmannschaft, beaten for its entry into the running against Japan (2-1), played its survival in the competition during a highly anticipated clash against Spain. But the fate of Thomas Müller’s partners hardly seems to interest the German people since “only” 17.1 million viewers (49.3% market share) watched this meeting ended in a draw (1-1) and broadcast on the national channel ZDF. A result that allows Germany to still believe in a qualification for the knockout stages.
A simple comparison with the audiences for the 2018 World Cup makes it possible to fully grasp the extent of the disaffection of the country. Four years ago, the match between Germany and Sweden, broadcast on a Saturday evening, with a similar stake, had gathered 27.5 million viewers with a market share of 76%, i.e. more than 10 million viewers. less.
15 million viewers less than in 2018 for the first game
The first meeting of Hans-Dieter Flick’s men had already proven this lack of interest in the World Cup, across the Rhine. Against Japan, only 9.23 million viewers (59.7% market share) watched the public TV channel ARD. In comparison, the Germans’ first match in 2018 against Mexico (1-0 defeat) attracted nearly 26 million viewers (81.6% market share).
These figures are explained by repeated calls for a boycott in Germany for the competition organized in Qatar and a sporting lack of interest in the performance of the Nationalmannschaft which has won only one World Cup match since its coronation in 2014 in Brazil.
The quadruple world champions will play their qualification for the round of 16 on Thursday evening (8 p.m.) against Costa Rica. Not sure that TV audiences are soaring…
