London and Liverpool Top UK's World Cup-Mad Cities Poll

London has been named the UK's most World Cup-obsessed city, with Liverpool a close second, according to a poll of 2,000 adults commissioned by Free Bets and carried out via OnePoll.com. The survey found that 80% of Londoners are watching or planning to watch a game, while 78% of Liverpudlians said the same, both significantly above the national average of 68%.

Watch Parties and Emotional Investment

Across the UK, one in five (21%) said they will host or attend watch parties during the tournament. Londoners showed the highest emotional stakes: 36% said they would cry if their country got knocked out, more than in any other city. In contrast, Bristol residents were the least engaged, with only 58% planning to watch.

Preferred Viewing Habits

Four in ten respondents said their ideal place to watch football is at home with family, while 20% prefer to watch alone. 16% said the pub is the best setting. The research also highlighted the impact on work: almost one in five (18%) have considered pulling a sickie or skipping work to watch, and 13% have taken leave. A quarter have rearranged plans to watch games, with 30% cancelling gym sessions.

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National Pride vs. Club Loyalty

The survey found that 32% would rather see their country win the World Cup than their club win a trophy. 18% admitted they have cried over their country's win or loss at a major tournament. If their country were to win, 15% said they would be 'absolutely ecstatic', but surprisingly 2% said they don't want their country to win at all.

Expert Comment

Dominic Celica from Free Bets commented: “Football fever doesn’t hit the same everywhere, and in some cities, it completely takes over. It’s not a surprise to see London high up on the list given the rich football heritage in the city. The tournament generally brings people together, but it’s clear people still want to watch it alone to take in the action and make their own decisions in peace.” He added: “The kick-off times are presenting clear difficulties for those at work, with many resorting to booking time off or even pulling sickies - although it wouldn’t be too believable if you were pulling a sickie the morning after a late game.”