ZURICH: The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has confirmed that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 achieved record viewership rates worldwide and positive results in terms of sustainability.
This came in a report published by FIFA in cooperation with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Partnership (Qatar 2022) and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final Sustainability Report), which is the most comprehensive report in the history of the competition, detailing the expected results and comparing them with the sustainability strategy prepared for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The final report was prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative’s standards for sustainability reporting, and it reviews the achievements and challenges related to the 79 initiatives included in the strategy.
“When organising our flagship competition, the world’s biggest single-sport event, we are fully aware of the enormous impact it has. With many years of preparation and a wide range of stakeholders involved, there is huge potential to make a positive difference and leave a significant legacy in the host country,” said FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström on the occasion of the report’s publication.
“The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has benefited from these capabilities, witnessing many unprecedented achievements, especially in the field of sustainable event management, as FIFA, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC (Qatar 2022) and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy have raised the bar for sustainability standards in major sporting events, years before the tournament kicks off, which will continue to be a source of inspiration in the field of event sustainability management for many years to come,” he added.
“The work that has been accomplished since we were awarded the hosting rights in 2010 has transformed Qatar as much as it has set a model for positive social, economic and environmental change, which other host countries can learn from and build on,” said Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy.
“Through our work together, we have achieved our vision of harnessing the power of football to open the door to a world of amazing experiences, showcasing the beauty of our country and region to the world, and leaving a true legacy of sustainable development,” he added.
Among the many achievements of the tournament, 11 key achievements reflect the success of FIFA, Qatar 2022, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy and relevant stakeholders in delivering the tournament’s intended outcomes, whether in the preparation, projects or legacy phases. These achievements span a number of areas such as environmental protection, human rights, workers’ welfare and accessibility, and were unprecedented in this tournament and featured best practices and programmes that will ensure the legacy of the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup will continue to be sustained over the years and eras.
The Global Audience and Viewership Report also confirmed that five billion fans interacted with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 across the globe, an unprecedented record that far exceeds previous editions. The figures - compiled by leading, world-renowned independent companies - confirm that the 2022 edition is the greatest in the tournament’s distinguished 94-year history.
The total viewership for the final between France and Argentina was 1.42 billion, the highest ever, and the global average for individual matches in the first tournament to be held in the Middle East was 175 million, while Telemundo's coverage of the final was the most widely broadcasted in the history of U.S. media coverage of World Cup matches.
FIFA’s social media channels also saw a strong following, with total engagement (811 million) up 448% on 2018, with 3.6 billion views of related videos during the tournament, representing a 202% increase.
The report also shows an increase in the consumption of tournament-related content, reflecting the evolution of the broader media landscape, which includes terrestrial and satellite television broadcasting, digital/online broadcasting, social media platforms, and platforms owned and operated by FIFA. The report also includes tables and graphs that highlight the geographical distribution of content consumption.
It is noteworthy that Asia and Oceania witnessed just over half of the total interactions (2.591 billion) with the events of the tournament held in Qatar in November and December 2022, while the second largest audience (945 million) was concentrated in Africa and the Middle East.
At the country level, China led the interactions with no less than 1,161 billion interactions, ahead of India (745.7 million).
The detailed report clearly explains the criteria used to define “engagement with tournament events” and details the methodology used to measure audiences, reflecting the evolving media landscape. The report also shows that consumption of digital content related to the FIFA World Cup is increasing significantly, while stressing that methods for measuring viewership must keep pace.
