Our studies
In our FanQ studies, we regularly analyse relevant topics in football that go beyond sporting aspects.
We provide insights on topics such as commercialisation, racism in football, sexism in football and club media,
that move fans, highlight problems and make an important contribution to public discourse. Through our media reach, we give football fans a loud voice and want to make football better and more attractive.
Cologne. The home European Championship in Germany is over and has found a worthy title holder in Spain, but national coach Julian Nagelsmann's team also impressed on the pitch and was the only team to come close to defeating the Furia Roja. The FanQ voting platform has drawn a conclusion and asked over 5,000 football fans about their satisfaction with Germany's performance, their identification with the German national team and their anticipation of the next competition - the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Cologne. The FanQ voting platform asked over 10,000 football fans in the Bundesliga, and at least 200 per club, how they rate their favourite club in various categories. The final part of this large-scale project focuses on the catering services offered by Bundesliga clubs and the digital offerings of clubs in the German top flight.
Cologne. The FanQ voting platform asked over 10,000 football fans in the Bundesliga, plus at least 200 per club, how they rate their favourite club in various categories. The third part of this large-scale project is about the favourite mascot of the clubs in the German top flight.
Cologne. The European Football Championship kicks off in Germany in less than two weeks' time. While there was no great euphoria in the spring, the mood in the country has now changed somewhat. This is probably primarily due to the recent convincing performances of the national team and the German clubs on the international stage as well as the association's marketing campaigns, for example as part of the squad nomination of national coach Julian Nagelsmann.
The FanQ voting platform asked over 10,000 football fans in the Bundesliga, and at least 200 per club, how they rated their favourite club in various categories. The second part of this large-scale project focuses on fans' satisfaction with the management of their favourite clubs in the German top flight.
The FanQ voting platform asked over 10,000 football fans in the Bundesliga, and at least 200 per club, how they rated their favourite club in various categories. FanQ has collated the ratings of the Bundesliga clubs to create a comprehensive league comparison. The first part of this large-scale project focusses on fan orientation and the atmosphere in the stadiums of the premier league clubs.
It's not long now until the 2024 European Championship kicks off with the opening match between Germany and Scotland. However, the anticipation of the kick-off on 14 June 2024 in Munich and the weeks that follow have so far been at best traceable. There is hardly any real European Championship fever - partly due to three botched tournaments in a row.
Against this backdrop, FanQ conducted a representative study on the attitudes of German football fans towards the European Championship and current developments at the DFB. Over 5,000 people took part in the survey.
The sport of football enjoys worldwide attention and popularity. Attractive football attracts many fans to follow the sport with interest. The interest of fans typically brings economic success. More money is then usually synonymous with greater chances of success in globally recognised competitions. The Bundesliga is now hoping for an extraordinary upswing thanks to the financial support of investors. However, investors are controversial among supporters of German professional football.
Against this backdrop, FanQ conducted a representative study on the attitudes of German football fans with regard to potential investor involvement in the DFL. It comprises a total of 31 questions (including socio-demographic and behavioural information from the participants). A total of 2,090 people took part in the survey, resulting in a representative sample of football fans in Germany.
The DFB wants to establish a proportion of women of 30% by 2027. This plan is intended to put an end to the underrepresentation of women in management positions in German football. To this end, the DFB wants to invest in programmes such as diversity training and further training for women in management positions. The German Football Association is therefore working hard to achieve greater parity. With this in mind, FanQ was commissioned by the SID to ask over 4,000 fans what they think of the DFB's efforts in this area and what measures they recommend to promote gender equality.
In addition to the fact that the female gender continues to be significantly underrepresented on the boards of football clubs and in the leadership positions of the major football associations, this topic is currently the subject of controversial debate due to scandals such as the behaviour of the now former Spanish association president Luis Rubiales at the 2023 Women's World Cup. It cannot be denied that gender diversity, equal opportunities and balance in the interpretation of social positions remain key areas of action. FanQ therefore surveyed more than 4,000 people on behalf of the SID to find out how they rate the inclusion of women in leadership positions in the world of professional football.
The last three years have not been easy for amateur sport either. Through the corona crisis, Decline in membership and the Energy crisis the clubs had to overcome major challenges across all sports. That is whyben FanQthe voting platform in sport, and SPM Sportplatz Media, with its team organisation app PlayerPlus, a survey for amateur athletes*inside from all Sports on its feetto shed light on the current situation. A total of 10,542 people took part in the on it part.
One year before the European Championships in their own country, German football fans' anticipation is limited. On the one hand, this is due to the recent mixed sporting performances of national coach Hansi Flick's team. On the other hand, there are also a number of factors off the pitch that are dampening the enthusiasm of supporters for the upcoming home European Championships.
FanQ was therefore commissioned by the SID to survey over 5,000 fans on the current situation of the DFB squad and the fans' identification with the national team. The latter is the focus below.
Most recently, the DFBSelection Ukraine in the test match did not manage more than a draw before the Flick team against Poland and Colombia even had to accept two defeats. Many experts and supporters in this country accuse the The German national team has been accused of a lack of commitment and a lack of a playing idea, and not just since these games. National coach Hansi Flick was also last publicly counted out. FanQ has therefore, due to current events Order of the SID about 5.000 persons on the current situation of the DFB squad and the Identification the Fans with the National team interviewed. In this Press release the sporting factors and General conditions at the centre. The identification the trailer with enr DFB selection becomes will be analysed in a separate communication.
FanQ-survey: The 2022/23 Bundesliga season is over and FC Bayern Munich secures the league title for the eleventh time in a row. In comparison to previous seasons, this championship has been closer than it has been for a long time. Off the pitch, however, there are some aspects that continue to be criticised by fans.
Against the background has FanQ on behalf of the SID about 2.000 Football fans questioned, at to summarise the past season and evaluate various aspects. Exactly the same material was used for this catalogue of questions as in the previous year. Comparisons could therefore be made between the 2022/2023 season and the 2021/2022 season.
FanQ-survey: Many fans still have fond memories of the 2006 summer fairytale. Under bright bluem sky, Germany was drenched in a sea of black, red and gold flags and welcomed football fans from all over the world under the motto "The world as a guest with friends". The benchmark for the next football tournament at home, the EM 2024, is correspondingly high. However, the signs are not (yet) favourable.
The German national team and its management are on the brink of collapse after the disappointing Results at the last Tournaments under pressure to succeed. Also There is a lot of noise about the reorganisation of the structure and processes in the context of the national team. In view of this situation FanQ on behalf of the SID asked over 2,000 football fans about their anticipation of the tournament and the expected atmosphere, the DFB team's sporting performance and the socio-political dimension of Euro 2024.
FanQ's league comparison provides a representative comparison of the clubs in the Bundesliga from the fans' perspective. Football fans were asked about their views on their favourite club in a wide variety of areas. They thus provide a unique view of the football clubs in the German premier league.
FanQ has about 10.000 Football fans in the Bundesliga questionedasto at least 200 per Club, how they can find their favourite club in various categories Rate. FanQ has the ratings of the Bundesliga clubs are summarised and thus created a comprehensive league comparison. In the third part of this Project is about the best stadium atmosphere in the Bundesliga.
FanQ's league comparison provides a representative comparison of the clubs in the Bundesliga from the fans' perspective. Football fans were asked about their views on their favourite club in a wide variety of areas. They thus provide a unique view of the football clubs in the German premier league.
FanQ has about 10.000 Football fans in the Bundesliga questionedasto at least 200 per Club, how they can find their favourite club in various categories Rate. FanQ has the ratings of the Bundesliga clubs are summarised and thus created a comprehensive league comparison. In the second part of this Project is about the mascot and the best stadium anthem in the first divisionClubs.
FanQ's league comparison provides a representative comparison of the clubs in the Bundesliga from the fans' perspective. Football fans were asked about their views on their favourite club in a wide variety of areas. They thus provide a unique view of the football clubs in the German premier league.
FanQ has about 10.000 Football fans in the Bundesliga questionedasto at least 200 per Club, how they can find their favourite club in various categories Rate. FanQ has the ratings of the Bundesliga clubs are summarised and thus created a comprehensive league comparison. In the first part of this Project is about the fanoorientation and the sense of tradition of the first divisionClubs.
In the FanQ study "Situation of referees in football", around 2,200 football fans voted on how on personal interaction with and perception of referees. Can you imagine becoming an active football referee yourself? What do you associate with the hobby / profession of refereeing? Have you experienced physical or verbal violence against referees? What would improve the general reputation of referees among fans? In addition to these general questions, this context also deals with the role of professional football. Children and young people in particular are guided by the behaviour of their favourite professional footballers. It is therefore worrying that 69% of the football fans surveyed gave the following answer: Professional football is not a good role model for dealing with referees.
In the FanQ study "Merchandise in football", over 2,000 football fans voted on how they view the merchandise of their favourite clubs. How important are merchandise items from their favourite club to fans? How much merchandise do fans buy season after season? How satisfied are they currently in terms of quality, design, selection and value for money? And where are the fan articles actually used? In addition to these questions, the focus is also on sustainable production methods and digital offerings. These are often described as forward-looking, but have so far only found favour with a small proportion of fans. Only 13.6% of our respondents have already purchased options such as special digital jerseys, trading cards, fan tokens, etc.
In the FanQ study "What can we learn from the World Cup in Qatar?", around 3,600 football fans voted on how they view the last World Cup in Qatar. How many games did they watch? What dampened their spirits? How do they rate the behaviour of the DFB, UEFA and FIFA? Should the German national team have positioned itself more strongly? In addition to these questions, the survey also looks at what the fans expect from the football associations in the future. The result is clear: in the opinion of more than 75% of those surveyed, something needs to change at both FIFA and the DFB - on the way to greater credibility, transparency, social responsibility and, of course, sporting success.
In the FanQ study "World Cup in Qatar - The countdown is on!", around 5,700 football fans voted on how they view the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. How do the fans assess the situation shortly before the start of the tournament? How much interest is there really? Do the fans believe that the international attention associated with the World Cup can improve the human rights situation in Qatar and what about FIFA's image? In addition to these questions, it is also a question of whether the fans will make use of alternative sports entertainment programmes and therefore forego watching the World Cup. The result is clear: 61.2 % of those surveyed stated that they would reorient themselves accordingly, primarily in favour of the regional leagues and amateur football.
In the FanQ study "Fairness in professional football", around 2,100 football fans voted on how they perceive modern football. What factors determine the sporting success of clubs? Are there differences between national and international competitions and does 50+1 play a positive or negative role here? In addition to these questions, it is also a question of whether the fans feel sufficiently understood and represented by the associations and clubs. The results are clear in some cases: 85.0 % of fans feel that their interests are not adequately represented by the German Football Association (DFB). The situation is similar with the German Football League (DFL). When asked whether the interests of football fans are adequately represented by the DFL, 82.9 % of respondents answered "no".
In the FanQ study "Sustainability in professional football", around 2,500 football fans rated their favourite clubs in terms of social, ecological and economic sustainability. The project was initiated by FanQ and Sports for Future. The fans gave their favourite clubs top marks for their commitment against racism and their commitment to fairness, respect and tolerance. Ecological sustainability is rated positively overall, although there is room for improvement. This area is rated as "good" by 36.7% of fans and as "average" by 34.8%. Many fans also see potential for improvement in the representation of women in club management and the integration of young talent into the professional squad.
In the FanQ study "Expectations of football associations and sponsors regarding the 2022 World Cup", over 3,400 football fans gave their opinion of sponsors and associations regarding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The first question asked was what the fans think of the DFB's and the international associations' positions. It is clear that the DFB management's behaviour is not at all well received - 78.0% rate it as "very bad". Among other things, this has an impact on the association's image - for 54.3% of respondents, the DFB's previous behaviour has had a "very negative" impact on the association's image and for a further 33.7% a "rather negative" impact. Fans were also asked what the DFB's handling of the World Cup in Qatar should be - almost two thirds (66.2%) of fans are still in favour of boycotting the World Cup and only 1.7% say that the current handling is just right. A critical approach by the DFB would have a positive influence on the attitude of many fans - 56.9% of fans say that a more critical behaviour would have a "rather positive" influence on them.
In the FanQ short study "Season summary 2021/2022", over 6200 football fans gave their verdict on the 2021/2022 Bundesliga season. The first step was to determine how the excitement and sporting quality of the 2021/2022 Bundesliga season was rated. While the study shows that the sporting quality is mediocre according to the fans, the result in terms of excitement is even more sobering - 61.2% of fans felt that the past season was not exciting. Overall fan interest also suffered greatly during the last season. 70.7% of fans stated that their interest in the German top flight had decreased or even declined significantly. Possible reasons for the decline in interest could be the over-commercialisation and lack of integrity of the competition.
In the FanQ study "Homophobia in football", more than 2,300 football fans cast their votes on questions relating to the topic of homophobia in amateur and professional football. The survey began by determining the extent to which homophobic incidents are widespread in football and which areas may be particularly affected. In addition, 54.2 % of fans who support the concerns of the LGBTQIA+ community stated that they had already witnessed homophobic incidents in professional football. In addition, the importance of the fight against homophobia was assessed and appropriate measures were presented. Furthermore, the commitment of the DFB and the DFL to date was rated as insufficient by all fans.
In the FanQ study "Expectations of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar", over 2000 football fans provided information about their attitudes and views on the World Cup in Qatar. 84% of the fans stated that their anticipation for the World Cup is much lower compared to previous World Cups. In addition, 60% of fans do not want to watch the World Cup live. In particular, factors such as corruption in the awarding of the tournament and the human rights situation in the host country are dampening anticipation. The date in winter also dampens the anticipation of many fans.
In our study on stadium attendance during the coronavirus pandemic, over 2,000 fans answered questions about their current stadium attendance behaviour. 33.9% are less interested in going to the stadium than before. Interest in football in general has also fallen noticeably. This could be due to the strict regulations that currently apply in stadiums. Over 40% feel disturbed by the corona measures, especially the 2G rule. The ongoing commercialisation also plays a major role. Almost 60% see this as a direct trigger for their declining interest.
Our study "Women in Football" contains the opinions of 2000 fans on the topic of sexism in women's football. The results show that interest in women's football in particular is gender-specific. With an average of 4.15 stars, women show a significantly higher level of interest than men with 2.52 stars. The study also shows that more than 50 % of women have already witnessed a sexist incident in amateur football.
Our study "Financial stability of professional clubs" contains survey results on financing in football with a focus on the coronavirus pandemic and its influence on the solvency of clubs. 56.6 % of fans consider their personal favourite club to be financially stable. Nevertheless, the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic on this financial stability is considered to be high. 49.8 % assume that one consequence of the pandemic could be financial crises and even insolvencies in the Bundesliga 1 and 2.
Our study on racism in football clearly shows that it is increasingly seen as a problem. Well over half of the more than 2,000 participants perceive racism as a present problem and over 40% also believe that the situation has worsened in recent years. Despite this, only a few fans, particularly in the amateur sector, report active encounters with the issue; in the professional sector, most reports come from the standing areas in the stadium. Although the current measures are already viewed positively, fans would like to see even more action against racism, especially on the part of the DFL and DFB.
In our study "CSR in professional football", several thousand fan opinions on corporate social responsibility in football were collected. Among other things, aspects of financial responsibility play a major role in CSR. 79.7 % of fans attach great importance to the sponsor of their favourite club acting in accordance with ethical and moral values. Social commitment is also favoured and a stance against discrimination and racism is relevant for the fans.
The extent to which the social media presence of football clubs plays a role was analysed in our study "Club media and the acceptance of fans". The clubs' media offerings are generally rated as "good" by fans and are therefore used extensively. In particular, the clubs' own apps are used by more than half of the fans. The importance of these offerings has increased, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, and general usage has increased. However, 63.9 % of fans state that the media offering itself has not undergone any changes during the pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic is not only hitting professional football hard. This becomes clear in our study on the effects of the pandemic on amateur football. The biggest negative impact is seen in the reduction in socialising. However, many users state that the crisis is strengthening cohesion. Clubs are mostly receiving support in the form of voluntary work and support from sponsors. The members themselves state that they could make the best use of sponsors and fundraising campaigns. Many of the members would also be willing to support the association themselves, e.g. in the form of voluntary work.
Our study on the topics of commercialisation, excitement and fan proximity shows that, from the fans' point of view, various developments in professional football are going in the wrong direction. Fans clearly criticise the professional football system, diagnose undesirable developments in some areas and would like to see reform. The progressive commercialisation in particular annoys the majority. The Bundesliga also has specific problems due to the championship being perceived as boring. Nevertheless, just under 40% would not turn away from football if there were no reforms. In addition, many fans consider the players in professional football to be too self-serving.
Most fans consider their club's sponsorship to be important in principle, as our study on this topic shows. All fans, regardless of their socio-demographic characteristics, are influenced by sponsorship. Through sponsorship, an image transfer of the attractive attributes from professional football can be transferred to companies. High performance, team spirit, fan support, fairness and anti-discrimination are just some of the many attributes that the Bundesliga stands for. Nevertheless, not all sponsors are judged equally. Particularly with regard to ethical and moral behaviour, there are sometimes clear differences in the way fans rate the companies.
Our study on the status quo of amateur football reflects the current views of the grassroots of German football. More than 2/3 of the participants play football in a club themselves and over 40% are involved in a club on a voluntary basis. Above all, the family-friendly atmosphere and cohesion in amateur football is appreciated by most. Aggressive behaviour, the pitch conditions in amateur leagues and the referees are seen by many as annoying. Overall, many sporting and social values are rated higher in the amateur sector than in the professional sector.
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