Politics on the Pitch – How Is Mediatized Football Consumption Related to the Exposure to and Recall of Political Incidents During the Euro 2024?

Abstract

Major sport events attract large audiences, making them an attractive platform for political actors seeking to engage the public. However, to date, there is little research on how the public perceives mediatized political incidents during sports events. This study examines the intersection of sports and political communication by analyzing how audiences perceive political incidents during the UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament. Using survey data from Switzerland ( n = 435), we investigate the extent to which individuals were exposed to political incidents during the tournament and whether news consumption, social media use, and watching broadcasts of games were related to the exposure and recall of these events. The study shows that political incidents related to the tournament reached a large audience. Self-reported exposure to political incidents was positively related to news consumption and interest in politics and sports. However, the ability of participants to recall specific political incidents was positively associated with watching broadcasts of games and interest in politics, but not with news or social media consumption. The large reach of politics on the pitch and the controversial matter of the incidents captured in our study highlight both the potential and risks of politics in sports for society.