The Women’s World Cup is now onto the round of 16 stage. The premier international event in women’s soccer co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia features a U.S. Women’s National Team chasing a historic 3-peat after capturing back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2019.
The latest CivicScience data show 18% of U.S. adults are tuning into matches at least ‘occasionally’ with 6% reporting they’re watching every match they can. Another 18% say they’re not watching but are at least keeping track of the results. The tournament has also managed to capture the attention of consumers who are not regular sports enthusiasts, as 22% of people watching or following don’t typically watch sports.
With the host nations on the other side of the world, nearly all of the remaining games will kick off between 3:30 AM (ET) and 6 AM (ET) – the “latest” match time for the U.S. Women for the duration of the tournament, would start at 6 AM (ET), should they reach the final. Among those with an interest in following the games, more than a quarter (26%) hearty souls are staying up late (or waking up early) to watch the games live. On the other hand, 38% are opting for a more sleep-friendly experience, tuning in to recorded games or highlights at more convenient hours.
When it comes to how they’re watching, a plurality utilize the TV broadcasts on Fox and FS1 (38%). Cord-cutters make a significant portion, with one-quarter relying on a streaming service such as YouTube TV or Fubo. Bars have extended hours to accommodate the late games, and Washington D.C. has even permitted them to stay open 24 hours during the tournament. As many as 17% are heading to bars or other gatherings to watch the matches leaving 22% who have another plan in mind to watch.
Who’s tuning in amid viewership that’s broken records?
Many retail brands are well represented among World Cup viewers. Examining the Women’s World Cup viewership among customers of various brands, CivicScience’s brand ranker tool highlights clothing retailer Rue 21 as the standout leader, with 60% of its customers being at least occasional viewers of the matches. GNC and Lululemon follow in the top three of more than 90 brands studied, with 44% of their customer bases tuning into the tournament. On the flip side, Aerie (13%), Cabela’s (15%), and Dr. Martens (16%) customers show lower viewer engagement with the Women’s World Cup.
Turning to athletic shoe brands, Nike (29%) and Puma (28%) customers exhibit the highest viewership for the tournament so far, while Adidas, the official tournament shoe sponsor, maintains a 21% viewership rate among its customers.
Other noteworthy insights include: Viewers are more likely to be Whole Foods shoppers than non-viewers, and QVC shoppers are more likely to be fans than Amazon shoppers.
The quest for history could kick up viewership
While the U.S. Women’s National Team advanced on the slimmest of margins, securing back-to-back draws with The Netherlands and Portugal, their quest to become the first country to win three straight Women’s World Cup titles remains alive. Roughly one-fifth (21%) of Americans are committed to following the matches, regardless of the U.S. team’s performance, while 15% express a growing interest and are more likely to tune in as the team advances.
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