There is a common factor that runs through every great football nation – a special relationship between the beautiful game and the country’s national identity. A new study – the Yahoo Singapore Football Study – commissioned by Yahoo, conducted with international research firm YouGov, uncovers unique insights on the city-state’s perceptions towards the sport.
The study was conducted as part of the Season 2 launch of Yahoo’s Footballing Weekly, a weekly talk show that provides news, expert insights, analysis, and commentaries on the latest football action, following the show’s successful opening in Season 1 last year which captivated football fans in Singapore.
The Yahoo study surveyed an audience of over 2,000 people across the city-state and revealed that Singaporean fans’ passion for football is at the tipping point. With many Singaporeans following international leagues such as the English Premier League, a majority indicated they could also be encouraged to watch local football, given the right motivation. The study found that 2 in 5 of the respondents across different generations – from Gen Z to Baby Boomers – believe that football forms an important and influential part of the culture and identity of Singapore.
Here are other key findings from the Yahoo Singapore Football Study that shed light on the sentiments and behaviours of Singapore towards one of its most well-loved sports.
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#1: Many believe football is crucial to Singapore’s cultural identity – especially the older generations
While this is a widely held belief amongst Singaporeans (40%) in the study with 40% remaining neutral, there are slight differences amongst generations with older cohorts such as Baby Boomers (45%) and Gen X (43%) particularly standing tall as advocates of football’s significance, believing that football is important and influential to the culture and identity of Singapore. Meanwhile, younger generations such as Millennials (35%) & Gen Z (37%) trail slightly behind their older counterparts in this sentiment.
#2: 70% of Singaporeans said they would be open to supporting local football
The Yahoo study revealed that while only 35% say they currently support local football clubs or the national team, 70% would be encouraged to support a local football club or the national team if at least one of their criteria was fulfilled; the top three criteria identified were talented and skilled players (35%), their hobby or interest (30%); and a strong team spirit (28%).
While existing support for local football is equal across generations (Gen Z 36%; Millennials 35%; Gen X 26%; Baby Boomers 34%), younger generations may be key to further fuelling the flames of the country’s passion towards the sport. Gen Z (80%) and Millennials (72%) lead the pack, above the national average (70%), in being potentially interested in local football, citing personal interest as the top criteria.
#3: Local football supporters are more optimistic about Goal 2034
The survey also showed that Singaporeans who support the national team or local clubs are more optimistic about the country’s aspirations for the Unleash the Roar! project – a bid to develop a national squad that could qualify for the 2034 World Cup. Local football fans (39%) believe that Singapore will be represented at the world’s biggest sporting event within the next 10 years, while only 9% of those who identify as non-supporters agree.
As a whole, only 19% respondents agreed that the goal can be met, with 37% on the other side of the fence.
39% of Singaporeans do not think that the current level of support for the development of football in Singapore is adequate for it to be successful, with 33% neutral respondents and 28% agreeing that support is sufficient.
#4: Fans have different opinions on whether their partner, spouse or family should support the same team
Is team support a sacred kit affair or a territory for individual passion? It depends on who you ask, the study reveals. Nearly half of Singaporeans (43%) believe it is not crucial for their partner, spouse, or family member to rally behind the same league or club, while 38% are neutral about the matter.
However, fans who indicated their support for the Singapore Premier League (SPL) have a different take: 45% of SPL supporters believe that their partner, spouse, or family should support the same football team, compared to fans of other leagues such as Serie A (35%), UEFA Europa League (34%), Bundesliga (31%), UEFA Champions League (29%), La Liga (29%), and EPL (26%).
Aligning with this sentiment that football, especially local football, is a friends and family affair, respondents indicated that strong community engagements (26%), friend and family support (21%), and a strong team spirit (28%) are amongst the factors that will encourage them to support the local football scene.
Discussing the study on an episode of Yahoo’s Footballing Weekly, Chia Han Keong, co-host and Yahoo editor, shared, “Football, after all, is a team sport requiring every player to understand their roles and help his teammates. In Singapore, whether you watch or play football, it builds a community bond that few other sports can manage, and that passion and camaraderie shows up in the findings of this survey.”
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#5: Fans are split when it comes to paying to attend football matches, as well as following live football online or on TV
Despite their love for the beautiful game, fans are split when it comes to paying to attend live matches. Nearly half (45%) of Singaporeans will not want to attend a live match if they have to pay, whether it involves a top European football club or the Singapore national team at the Singapore National Stadium.
Out of those that were willing to pay to attend a match, respondents were willing to pay more to attend a match involving a top European football club as compared to the Singapore national team: 16% would be willing to pay more than $100 for a top European football club, while only 7% would be willing to pay the same price for the Singapore national team.
The study also revealed that Singaporeans are mixed when it comes to catching the action away from the sidelines: 45% said they tune in to watch live matches online or on TV, with almost a third of respondents (32%) spending up to three hours a week catching up on the game and reliving each important aspect. Meanwhile, 55% said they do not watch live football matches online or on TV.
#6: English Premier League reigns supreme across generations
The English Premier League (EPL) is the most-watched league in Singapore, with nearly half (43%) saying they tune in every season. This is followed by the UEFA Champions League (25%); while the Singapore Premier League is the third most-watched league at 18%, ahead of other European country leagues such as La Liga (10%), Serie A (8%), and Bundesliga (7%).
“As the first whistle blows on this year’s Yahoo Footballing Weekly, we wanted to take a deeper dive into the perspectives, behaviours, and attitudes of Singaporeans towards football. The insights uncovered are enlightening especially as we ponder on the current state and future fortunes of Singapore football. As a nation, we have always loved the sport, but there is clearly a long way to go before the national team can taste sweet success,” Chia said.
Methodology
The Yahoo Singapore Football Study was conducted in July 2023 to understand Singaporean perceptions and behaviours towards the sport. The quantitative survey was administered to 2,057 respondents aged 18 and above in Singapore.
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