EURO-2012: sympathy of Ukrainians

Press

11.06.2012

EURO-2012: sympathy of Ukrainians

According to a survey conducted by the Rating Group, UEFA EURO 2012 generated substantial interest among Ukrainians. Almost everyone who plans to follow the tournament intends to support the national team, even though its chances of winning are rated lower than those of Spain and Germany, which most respondents consider the main favorites of the championship.
About half of Ukraine’s adult population aged 18 and over planned to follow the course of EURO 2012. In particular, 31 percent intended to watch most matches from the group stage through to the final, 9 percent planned to follow only the playoff matches and the final, and another 9 percent planned to watch only the final. At the same time, 46 percent were not interested in the tournament at all, while 5 percent had not yet decided.
For obvious reasons, EURO 2012 attracted much greater interest among Ukrainians than the previous FIFA World Cup. According to Rating’s 2010 survey, the World Cup attracted the attention of fewer than 40 percent of Ukrainians.
Interest in EURO 2012 was highest in Western Ukraine, Donbas, the North, and the East, and lowest in the Center and the South, regions that did not host any matches.
Seventy-five percent of Ukrainian men and fewer than 30 percent of women planned to follow the tournament. More than half of men intended to watch most matches from the group stage to the final. In 2010, almost two-thirds of men and only about one-fifth of women followed the World Cup, which means that the greatest growth in interest since then occurred among women.
Interest in EURO 2012 increased with younger age, higher levels of education, and higher income. Among internet users, the share of football fans was about one and a half times higher than among those who did not use the internet.
Besides the Ukrainian national team, which was supported by 92 percent of fans, many respondents also planned to support Russia (23 percent), Germany (15 percent), England (15 percent), Spain (15 percent), and Italy (12 percent). Smaller shares said they would support France, the Netherlands, Poland, and Portugal. Every team participating in EURO 2012 had some supporters among Ukrainians, and only 3 percent of those who planned to watch the tournament had not yet decided whom to support.
Compared to two years earlier, Ukrainian fans had become noticeably less supportive of Italy and France, most likely due to the weak performances of those teams at the previous World Cup. At the same time, Germany, England, and Spain continued to enjoy strong support, especially among the most devoted football fans, typically middle-aged men who planned to follow all matches and had a strong interest in football.
It is worth recalling that neither Ukraine nor Russia participated in the final stage of the previous World Cup. Support for Ukraine’s national team was strongest in the West, Donbas, the North, and the Center, and weakest in the South. Support for Russia was highest in the East, South, and Donbas, much lower in the Center, and almost absent in the West. Germany and Spain were more strongly supported in the South and East, France in the East, and England in the Center.
Respondents considered Spain and Germany the most likely winners of EURO 2012, followed by England and Italy. At the same time, nearly a quarter of Ukrainians believed that the Ukrainian national team also had a chance of winning. Far fewer respondents believed in the chances of the Netherlands, France, Portugal, or Russia, while about a quarter of respondents were unable to evaluate the chances of the participating teams.
More experienced football fans tended to bet on Spain, Germany, and England, reflecting the preferences of men who planned to watch all tournament matches. Ukrainian women, by contrast, were more inclined to believe in the success of Ukraine’s national team and were also more likely than men to believe in Russia’s chances. Belief in Italy’s and Portugal’s chances was roughly similar among men and women.

Methodology

Survey population: adult population of Ukraine aged 18 and older
Sample size: 2,000 respondents
Method: face-to-face formalized interview using a questionnaire
Sampling error (95% confidence level): for values close to 50% no more than 2.2%, close to 30% no more than 2.0%, close to 10% no more than 1.3%, close to 5% no more than 1.0%
Fieldwork period: May 5–14, 2012