• Anticipation for the home EURO has risen steadily since October
• The home EURO as an opportunity to meet up with friends
• Semi-final: Around a third of fans trust the DFB team to make it

UEFA EURO 2024 begins in 30 days, an event that soccer fans throughout Germany and Europe are eagerly awaiting. Despite mixed expectations regarding the sporting performance of the German national team, the current "EURO Barometer", the latest study by SLC Management, shows that the general mood and anticipation for the tournament are remarkably high. For the study, SLC Management conducted a survey in several waves, each with over 5,500 respondents, with 6,159 Bundesliga fans taking part in the most recent wave.

The following key statements can be derived from the responses:

1. The anticipation has steadily increased since October.
2. For many fans, the home EURO is a reason to meet up with friends in private or in public spaces.
3. The DFB team is now expected to finish much higher than six months ago.
4. A large majority think the contract extension with head coach Julian Nagelsmann is good and believe the decision will have a positive effect on the DFB team's performance.
5. The most popular venues are in Munich, Berlin and Dortmund.

The anticipation of the EURO has steadily increased since October, despite the interim defeats in the fall. However, since the beginning of the year in particular, anticipation among German soccer fans has been growing. In October, only 17.6% of respondents stated that their anticipation was great or even very great.

A good 40% of those surveyed now say they are looking forward to the home EURO a lot or very much. This suggests that good sporting performances increase anticipation, but are not solely responsible for it.

Along with the anticipation, the proportion of fans who want to watch the EURO with friends (from 47.8% to 52.5%), family (from 47.9% to 52.3%) or in beer gardens, pubs etc. (from 26.5% to 35.7%) has increased. The establishment of official fan zones in the host cities is also expected to pay off. The proportion of those planning to visit these also rose between October and April (from 12.5% to 15.6%). All this suggests that EURO 2024 could once again become a "summer fairytale" like the 2006 World Cup. Maximilian Madeja, Managing Director of SLC Management, commented: "These figures confirm the event character of the European Championship and show that the EURO is a reason for people to come together and celebrate the games".

According to the fans, Julian Nagelsmann can also contribute to this as national coach. Around 80% of those surveyed think his contract extension is good and more than 60% believe he can shape an era with the German national team. It is also fitting that significantly more fans believe the DFB team will be successful in April than in October or January: around a third of fans believe that the national team can at least make it to the semi-finals. Just under 8% expect to win the title.

And the EURO cities can also benefit from the tournament in their own country, as the study shows. According to the study, the Allianz Arena in Munich, the Olympic Stadium in Berlin and the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund are the most popular venues. On the one hand, this has to do with the attractiveness of the cities, but also with the reputation that precedes the stadiums.

The results of the current EURO barometer show that the German population is ready to celebrate a soccer festival with its guests. EURO 2024 therefore offers a unique opportunity to relive the "summer fairytale" of 2006 and to inspire fans with an unforgettable experience - and not least to bring the younger generation closer to the sport in the long term with such an experience.

You can find the free full version of the study in our Insight Store: The EURO Barometer for UEFA EURO 2024 (slc-management.com)

For more information, please contact us at any time

Jens Jaschinski

Director Consultancy

E-mail: jaschinski@slc-ag.com

Phone: +49 (0) 911 - 54 81 830

Tags: Barometer, DFB, EURO2024, European Championship, Madeja, Market research, National Team, SLC Management, Soccer Fans, Soccer in Germany, Sports Events, UEFA