German viewers’ protest of the World Cup has produced worrying stats for FIFA. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar kicked off on 20th November. Hosts Qatar lost 2-0 to Ecuador in the opening game. However, the enthusiasm for the World Cup in Germany is limited. This is shown by the ratings for the opening game of the 2022 World Cup. However, this figure must have improved in their do or die mathday three fixture, which they won despite being knocked out.
On average, 6.21 million viewers watched the opening defeat of the host country on ZDF. At the 2018 World Cup, more than ten million viewers watched the opening game between hosts Russia and Saudi Arabia. The market share was also significantly higher back then.
This was 28.2% on Sunday; in 2018 it was still 52%, although the start of the 2022 World Cup was on Thursday. In general, the opening of the World Cup 2022 in Qatar historically pales in comparison to previous World Cups. At the 2006 home World Cup, 20.6 million people watched the opening game against Costa Rica.
At least 8.68 million viewers tuned in to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. A similar dream quota as in 2006 was also recorded at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Back then, 15.87 million people watched the opening game against Croatia. Even though the whistle didn’t kick off until 10 p.m.CET.
Even the Tatort “Katz und Maus” achieved higher ratings than the 2022 World Cup opening game on Sunday with 9.25 million viewers. ZDF’s “Traumschiff” had to admit defeat with 6.14 million viewers.
On Monday, too, the 8 p.m. game between USA and Wales on ZDF was narrowly beaten by the ARD program “Donna Leon – Auf Treu und Faith”. Although 4.35 million viewers followed the World Cup game, 4.41 million people preferred to watch the ARD broadcast
Above all, Germany, with its critical football fan scene, which consistently denounces racism, homophobia and the increasing influence of investors, is at the forefront of this debate. But for some fans, the human rights situation in Qatar and corruption at FIFA hardly matter: football outshines everything. Germany will become world champion of morals, one scoffs at the protest. But Schulze-Marmeling is happy to accept the title.
