Gen Z's World Cup Frenzy Reaches All-Time High? Survey Reveals Reality of 'Value-Driven' Consumption and Community Beyond 'Time-Efficiency'

Survey Summary

Explosive growth of new fans: Over half of Gen Z (58%) are 'new or casual viewers' who started watching during this or the previous tournament.

Viewing triggered by 'empathy': Top reasons for watching are 'my friends are watching' and 'it's trending on social media'.

No desire for real-world communities: 60% watched either 'alone' or 'with family'. Viewing is primarily in private, personal spaces rather than public gatherings.

Frenzy beyond time-efficiency: 72% watched a match at 5 a.m. on a weekday. 55% watched all three matches.

'Idol-support' style consumption for players: Top player of interest is Keisei Ueda. Many support players based on factors beyond performance, reflecting 'idol-support' behaviors.

Survey Overview

Target audience: Gen Z (ages 18–28), 100 respondents

Method: Online survey

Theme: Viewing habits and community behavior regarding the World Cup

Detailed Survey Results

1. Entry point to the World Cup is 'Social Media and Friends'

[Q1] Since when have you been watching the World Cup?

32% said 'this year for the first time' and 26% said 'since the last tournament', revealing that 58% of respondents are new viewers who started recently. The widespread use of social media has significantly broadened access to the World Cup.

[Q2] Why are you watching this year's World Cup? / Primary reason

The top reason was 'my friends or people around me are watching' (42%), followed by 'I watch every tournament' (31%) and 'it's trending on social media or news' (18%). This indicates a passive viewing pattern driven by the enthusiasm of their community, rather than quietly enjoying it alone.

2. Viewing style prioritizes 'private spaces'. No demand for real-world communities

[Q3] Who did you watch the World Cup with? / Most common situation

The top response was 'alone' (31%), followed by 'with family or relatives' (29%). Combined, these account for 60% of respondents. While a notable number watched with 'school or work friends' (29%) or 'a partner' (9%), over half watched in private settings such as at home. This reveals that Gen Z does not actively seek 'real-world external communities' like noisy sports bars, but instead consumes the World Cup at their own pace within personal or close-knit circles.

[Q4] Where did you watch the World Cup? / Primary location

The dominant viewing location was 'at home (on TV)' at 64%, far ahead of others. 'At home (on smartphone)' accounted for 20%. The prevailing trend is watching safely and comfortably at home rather than going out to restaurants or public viewing events.

[Q5] What did you do while watching or right after the match? (multiple answers allowed)

While 34% said they 'just watched the match and did nothing else', a significant number reported checking social media posts (21%), messaging friends or acquaintances on LINE (16%), or making phone calls (14%). Despite being physically alone or with family, many actively share emotions in real time through digital channels.

3. Watching even late-night and early-morning games! 'Live experience value' surpasses time-efficiency

[Q6] Which Japan national team matches did you watch? (multiple answers allowed)

As many as 55% of respondents watched all three matches (vs Netherlands, Tunisia, Sweden), indicating a highly enthusiastic fan base.

Viewing rates per match were also remarkably high: 77% for the Tunisia match at 13:00 on Sunday, 79% for the Sweden match at 8:00 on Friday, and even 72% for the Netherlands match at 5:00 on a weekday Monday. There is little sign of viewers dropping off due to inconvenient time slots, showing strong motivation to adjust daily routines to watch Japan's games.

[Q7] Japan has advanced to the knockout stage. What do you expect from the team?

'Winning the championship' (34%) was the top response, surpassing 'Round of 16' (24%) and 'Quarterfinals' (21%), reflecting high expectations and positive sentiment among Gen Z toward the Japanese team.

[Q8] Will you watch the first knockout match vs Brazil on 6/30 (Fri) 2:00 a.m.?

Combining 'definitely will watch' (52%) and 'probably will watch' (26%), a total of 78% expressed intent to watch a match kicking off at 2 a.m. Despite typically favoring time-efficient behaviors like watching videos at accelerated speed, Gen Z clearly values the 'real-time shared excitement' of the World Cup above all.

4. Players of interest, 'idol-support' behaviors, and post-tournament engagement

[Q9] Which Japanese player are you following, and why?

The top player was Keisei Ueda (17 votes), followed by Kyodo Nakamura (10 votes), and Junya Ito, Takefusa Kubo, and Saya Suzuki (9 votes each).

While 'playing style' (63%) was the main reason, about 30% cited non-performance factors such as 'introduced by someone I know' (13%), 'appearance or fashion' (12%), and 'background or personal story' (9%), indicating a significant portion engages in 'idol-support' style fandom.

[Q10] Any players outside Japan's team that you're following?

'None' was the most common answer (45%), showing many consume the World Cup as a domestic trend. However, global superstars like Messi (14 votes) and Mbappé (3 votes), whose highlight clips frequently circulate on social media, are clearly recognized.

[Q11] Has the World Cup sparked your interest in watching soccer?

26% said they 'decided to watch the World Cup again next time'. While they may not become core fans who follow regular league matches, they show willingness to participate in the 'national event/festival that happens once every four years'. This suggests the World Cup has become established among Gen Z not as 'pure sports viewing' but as a 'periodic event consumption' similar to Halloween or Christmas.

[Q12] Would you want to attend a World Cup match in person?

52% said 'would like to go someday', 24% said 'if it's in Japan or other Asian countries', and 14% said 'for the next tournament'. Over 90% of Gen Z expressed strong future interest in experiencing the live event, despite currently preferring remote viewing.

Conclusion

For Gen Z, the World Cup has evolved from a mere 'global sports event' into a 'trend they must participate in to stay socially relevant'.

Crucially, what they seek is not 'shared physical space' at sports bars, but rather 'digital-first empathetic consumption'—connecting to the global excitement from home (alone or with family) through smartphones.

Their willingness to watch even early-morning or late-night matches reveals a strong desire not to miss the 'live moment'. For future youth-targeted marketing, rather than overemphasizing physical event attendance, it will be effective to combine 'social media buzz creation' that reaches their private spaces with 'idol-support style perspectives' that make it easy for beginners to engage.

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