Women’s European Championship 2025 vs. Men’s European Championship 2024. Antara Verma interviews 6 Swiss people who attentively watched the games last year, about how and why their viewing habits differ
The men’s Euro Championship of 2024 that took place in Germany was something almost everyone in Europe had either seen or heard of. It attracted many viewers of different ages, genders, and nationalities to get together and watch football. The matches ran during summer, from the 14th of June until the final on the 14th of July. There is no doubt that the men’s Euro Championship is more than just enjoying football, it’s a “social event where one meets friends” (Isabel 20) that includes food and drink, conversations, meeting new people and much more. Since Spain’s victory, people have begun to chatter about the next tournament which will be held in 2028. However, what many seem to forget is that the European Women’s Championship will take place in Switzerland in July of this year. Lara (21) says: “There is a lot less advertising, so you don’t even realise [it’s] taking place”.
Lara Magnani (21): While Lara enjoyed following the matches last year, she does not think she will be watching more than 1 or 2 games this season. She explained this is because of “the general hype, which isn’t nearly as big [for women’s football] than it is for men’s football. There is a lot less advertising, so you don’t even realise [it’s] taking place”. She believes that the key to attracting more people towards women’s football is more advertising and elaborated: The results of women’s football are usually dealt with very quickly, while the men’s European Championship is discussed/reported on for hours. In addition, more funding, because women’s football is still massively underfunded”. When asked how she thinks this might change in the future she answered: “That remains to be seen, unfortunately, many people still believe that football is a classic men’s sport. But a lot has happened in a short space of time in terms of visibility and investment, there is a lot of potential behind it, so I’m optimistic”
Tim Holtkamp (21): Tim has already bought tickets to watch the knock-out stages of the Women’s Euro Championship in person in Switzerland and thinks he will follow this tournament more than the men’s one last year due to it being held in his home country. “The women’s tournament is more exciting because there are more teams who are on the same high level than in the men’s tournament in my opinion”, he expresses. Despite his enthusiasm for this year’s tournament, he is aware that women’s football and sport generally “needs time to develop and professionalize even more”. He continues: “In my opinion, every women’s football tournament draws new attention to women’s football and makes it a bit more popular each time. Also, I think that women’s football has a few factors it can use for its advantage marketing-wise: more openness to the LGBTQ+ Community, more fairness, and more fighting spirit than men’s football”. These suggestions focus on what women’s sport could change rather than how the lack of advertising is the main problem, which is a start for changing the internal system before the external one.
Isabel Laute (20): A big factor in Isabel’s viewing of the Women’s Euro Championship is whether her favourite team, Germany, will get far or not. While this is a big factor for the Women’s tournament, she explains that it was different from the men’s matches by saying “Last year I always went to public viewings, because they were social events where I could meet my friends. If I can’t find friends to go to the public viewing this year, I won’t go either. What’s more, it’s a family tradition at every game of the German national team to have a barbecue with family and friends, at different hosts’ houses. Until now, these parties have only been held at games of the men’s national team. I don’t know if there will be one for the women’s European Championship this year, but I don‘t think so”. Hence, Isabel’s viewing habits differ partially because of social norms and partially because of tradition. Similar to other interviewees she believes that advertising plays a big role in boosting the hype around women’s football and also “public spaces where you can go and have fun with your friends”.
Alex Widmer (30): Because the matches will be hosted in Switzerland, Alex is considering going to a game in person, especially because his mother is a fan of women’s football. Nevertheless, there will be a clear difference in his viewing, he elaborates: “I’ll probably will be watching it less than the Men’s games because I don’t know as many players, Also it’s a different kind of game. Probably also because I don’t have as many friends that watch women’s football”. Alex’s suggestion for popularising women’s football would be to “Stop comparing the game between men and women because they are two different games. Give the women more of a platform so that more people can watch live or on TV”. Similar to others, he is not hopeful that there will be a turnaround of viewing habits anytime soon “because the mindset has to change, and [he doesn’t] think it’s happening anytime soon”.
Ivo Albrecht (21): “I will for sure be watching the games of the Swiss national team and the more interesting matches at the end of the tournament (semi-final, final) […] I’d like to go to at least one game in Zurich”, remarks Ivo. He continues to explain that he will still watch fewer matches because of the “lack of knowledge. Watching football is way more fun if you know the teams and the players […], it’s not as interesting as the men’s Euro Championship for me”. In order for women’s football to succeed more, Ivo thinks “it somehow has to differentiate from men’s football in a way that makes it more interesting, to stand out in some way. Maybe make the games more of an event”. Additionally, he mentions the social component and suggests that “if the public opinion about women’s football changes, it can also influence other people’s opinions”:
Lia (21): Lia grew up watching men’s football and “probably won’t watch any of the women’s European Championship matches, either in the stadium (even though it’s in Switzerland) or on TV. I don’t watch women’s football in general”. When asked why she thinks this is the case, she said: “Women’s football isn’t often discussed in the media, so I don’t feel the need to watch it”. Similar to Lara, she believes that more general attention towards women’s football would increase its popularity, for example by “being broadcasted as often as men’s football and becoming popularised in the media”. The future of women’s football seems bleak to Lia since she said: “I can’t imagine that people will be as enthusiastic about it as they are about men’s football”.
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