Football remains one of the most popular sports globally, with millions of fans dedicated to their favorite clubs. However, in Russia, interest in football is facing a significant crisis.
Idman.biz reports that the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) has published the results of a survey on the change in the attitude of the population toward football in Russia from 2005 to 2024.
The share of regular fans has dropped from 19% in 2005 to just 4% in 2024, while occasional fans have decreased from 34% to 18%. Concurrently, the percentage of those indifferent to football has surged to 77%.
Key demographics reveal that regular fans are primarily men (8% vs. 1% among women), individuals with secondary education (7%), and residents of the North Caucasus Federal District (8%). Occasional fans tend to be men (22% vs. 15% among women), those with higher or incomplete higher education (21%), and people with good financial status (25%). Indifference to football is higher among women (84% vs. 68% of men), youth under 24 (84%), and those with incomplete secondary education (85%).
As interest declines, the ability to name an active Russian football player has sharply fallen from 47% in 2009 to just 17% today. Only eight players are mentioned by more than 1% of respondents: A. Dzyuba (6%), I. Akinfeev (3%), A. Arshavin and A. Golovin (2% each), and L. Yashin, the Miranchuk brothers, and M. Safonov (1% each), some of whom are no longer active.
The current landscape shows that 40% of Russians struggle to assess the state of domestic football. Thirteen percent believe it is developing, while 26% view it negatively. Football fans are more critical, with 42% of regular fans noting problems.
Despite these challenges, there is hope for a revival of interest in football. Sixty-four percent of Russians believe conditions for youth football development are improving, with a notable increase in optimism over the past decade. The perception of the youth football environment is better understood compared to the professional level, possibly due to the visibility of local sports schools and clubs.
Women (70%), youth aged 18-24 (71%), and individuals in good financial standing (71%) are the most optimistic about youth football development in Russia.
Idman.biz
