Gen Z & Football: Why the Game Needs to Change

When is Real Madrid President Florentino Perez He stated that “40 percent of young people are no longer interested in football” because the matches are too long and not interesting enough, caused a storm in the sports public. Although his idea of superliga failed, the diagnosis of the condition remained hanging in the air, guessing in the core of the problem facing the most popular sport in the world. Research confirms that something really changes. According to one studyonly 23 percent of the members of the generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) describes himself as passionate sports fans, compared to 42 percent of millennials. The problem, however, is not that football has suddenly become boring, but in the fact that it has changed the way a new generation consumed it. The whole 90 -minute match for many has become an excessive bite in a world where attention is measured in seconds, and the content consumes by pulling your finger on the screen.

This generation, grew up as the first real “digital natives”, has accustomed to the culture of current satisfaction and content on demand. While older generations adapt to the television schedule, generation Z expects them all available to them immediately, anytime. That habit also passed on to sports. According to a company study Vizrtas many as 23 percent of young people prefer shorter content, while 17 percent prefer to watch abstracts after the match ended. Because of this, it is not surprising that, according to YouGov, only 31 percent of fans at the age of 18 and 24 are watching live matches, unlike 75 percent over 55. Instead of live broadcasting, more than 90 percent of young fans follow sports content through social networks, where short video clips with the best moves dominate and achieve a significantly higher reach and engagement.

.@overtime CEO @TFADP explains why the traditional sports media model is broken for Gen Z.

“The average age of the viewer is forties, fifties, some of them even sixties.”

“This idea that we’re just waiting for young people to hop on the couch and turn on the TV and watch a… pic.twitter.com/tYXr0zhB9Z

— The Information (@theinformation) August 27, 2025

At the same time, the nature of the cheering is changed. The concept of lifelong loyalty to one club, inherited from the father or a certain place of birth, slowly disappears and replaces it, so-called “fluid fandom”. Young fans no longer bind to the club, but for players. It is not a coincidence that the two most feated instagram profiles in the world are Cristiana Ronalda i Lionel Messiwho have more than a billion followers together. Their personal stories, successes and brands become more important than the coat of arms on the jersey. This trend is particularly visible in women’s football, whose popularity is growing intensely among the younger audience. Players like Sam Kerr or Alexii Putellas have built global popularity with authentic and personal content on social networks, creating a relationship with fans that transcends the terrain and attracts a new audience to sports.

For sports organizations, this means that they no longer compete with other clubs and leagues, but with the entire spectrum of entertainment industry, from Netflix and Marvel to the video game. Passive viewing of the match is no longer enough; Generation Z requires interaction, personalization and a sense of belonging to the community. The problem is not in a lack of focus, as critics claim, but in what sports collectives fail to capture their imagination in ways that are close to them. High ticket prices and expensive TV subscriptions further move them away from traditional channels, pushing them towards free and easily accessible digital alternatives. Therefore, in front of the entire industry is a key challenge: how to retain the basic value of sports, while adjusting it to the digital age.

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The answer lies in innovations that connect the physical and digital world. Clubs have to think outside the frames of mere posts on social networks and start creating an insulting, interactive environment. Gamification is one of the key tools; Fantasy leagues, scores predictions and a digital engagement award convert fans from passive observers to active participants. For example, the Italian football club AS Roma built a cult status on the social network X (former Twitter) with a combination of humor, memory and direct interaction with fans, showing that the club can have a personality that resonates with young people.

Technology offers even more advanced opportunities. Companies like Avery Dennison Develop jerseys and fan props with built-in NFC technology or QR codes. By simply scanning the coat of arms on the jersey with a smartphone, the fan can access exclusive content, such as the video behind the scenes, real-time statistics or special offers. In this way, the physical product becomes a portal in the digital world of experiences, deepening the link between fans and the club after the last Judge whistle and opening new commercial occasions.

Ultimately, the future of football does not depend on shortening matches, but to enrich the overall experience. Although some sociologists warn that a lack of interest in sport is just a symptom of wider social insulation of generation Z, the data show the other side of the story. The British OFCOM report states that the number of young people from 18 to 24 enjoying the monitoring of sports in any format increased by almost a third in the last five years. Interest, therefore, did not disappear, just moved to new platforms. Clubs and leagues who accept this change and start speaking the language of the interactivity, authenticity and digital innovation – will provide not only their survival, but also growth in the years to come. The rules have changed, but the game is still ongoing.

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