Watching World Cup may be good for your health, studies suggest

Korea captain Son Heung-min warms up during a training session ahead of the team's FIFA World Cup match against South Africa in Monterrey, Mexico, Wednesday (local time). AP-Yonhap

As the FIFA Men's World Cup reaches a fever pitch, football fans have gathered in homes, offices, cafés and public viewing sites to share the excitement.

Beyond the thrill of the game, research suggests that watching and cheering for sporting events may also provide measurable benefits for both mental and physical health.

One study that supports this is a paper published in the January 2023 issue of the journal Frontiers in Public Health. Conducted by a research team led by Helen Keyes from the Department of Psychology and Sport Science at Anglia Ruskin University in the U.K., the study is titled "Attending Live Sporting Events Predicts Subjective Wellbeing and Reduces Loneliness."

Japan's supporters react after the World Cup Group F football match between Japan and Sweden in Tokyo's Shibuya district, Friday. AFP-Yonhap

The research team analyzed survey data from 7,209 British adults aged 16 to 85. People who watched live sporting events reported higher levels of life satisfaction and a stronger sense that their lives were meaningful — two widely used indicators of overall well-being. They also reported feeling less lonely.

The researchers noted that previous studies have consistently shown that greater life satisfaction is associated with lower disease risk, better physical health, slower biological aging and lower mortality. In other words, if watching sports improves life satisfaction, it may also contribute indirectly to better long-term health.

Korea fans react before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match against South Africa in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, Thursday. Reuters-Yonhap

The study also found that the increase in people's sense that "life is worthwhile" after attending sporting events was comparable to the boost associated with gaining employment. Because sporting events are relatively accessible, the researchers suggested they could serve as an effective public health resource for improving mental well-being.

The findings were based on data from the Taking Part Survey, a large-scale study commissioned by the U.K. government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to examine public participation in cultural, recreational and sporting activities.

Korea fans react as they watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match against South Africa in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, Thursday. Reuters-Yonhap

More than entertainment

Watching the World Cup — whether at the stadium, on television or through public viewing events — can offer several additional health benefits, according to Raffles Medical Group, one of Singapore's largest private health care providers. Even without playing the sport, simply watching a match activates brain regions involved in planning and movement.

A 2008 study from the University of Chicago found that observing athletic performance stimulates neural pathways similar to those engaged during physical activity. As viewers empathize with players' movements, the sympathetic nervous system becomes activated, increasing heart rate and breathing.

Passionate fans often develop strong emotional connections with their favorite teams or athletes. When those teams perform well or win, supporters experience genuine feelings of joy and satisfaction, producing positive emotional effects.

Group viewing and collective cheering foster a sense of belonging and strengthen social connections. Feeling part of a community helps reduce loneliness while promoting psychological and social well-being.

Turkey fans celebrate after the World Cup Group D soccer match between Turkey and the United States in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday (local time). AP-Yonhap

Passion for sports may boost happiness

According to Australia's independent science news outlet ScienceAlert, the health benefits of sports fandom appear regardless of how people watch the games. A study conducted by researchers at Belgium's KU Leuven found that sports fans reported higher life satisfaction than non-fans, whether they attended games in person or watched them on television or mobile devices.

Meanwhile, a Japanese brain-imaging study discovered that watching highly popular sports such as soccer and baseball activated brain regions associated with pleasure more strongly than viewing less popular sports. The findings suggest that the greater the emotional excitement generated by a sport, the greater the resulting sense of happiness.

Spectators celebrate at a public viewing site after Australia advanced to the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 following their draw with Paraguay, at Tumbalong Park in Sydney, Friday. EPA-Yonhap

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.