Majority of Brazilians Have Never Attended a Football Match, Revealing Attendance Challenges
Survey shows 59% of Brazilians have never attended a football match, citing safety, cost and interest issues, with many fans preferring TV and streaming over live stadium attendance.
- • 59% of Brazilians have never attended a football match according to a recent CBF survey.
- • Only 2% attend matches weekly, while 47% watch games weekly on TV or apps.
- • Safety concerns and high ticket prices are key reasons limiting stadium attendance.
- • Average attendance in the 2025 Brasileirão is 25,300, lower than major European leagues.
Key details
A recent survey by the Nexus Institute for the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) reveals a significant challenge for Brazilian football clubs: 59% of Brazilians have never attended a football match. Among those surveyed, 22% had gone once or more but prefer not to return. The main reasons cited include a lack of interest (41%), safety and violence concerns (23%), and expensive tickets (12%). Only a small fraction, 2%, attend games weekly, while nearly half (47%) prefer watching matches via television or streaming apps, indicating a shift in fan engagement away from stadiums.
The average attendance for the 2025 Brasileirão is about 25,300 per round, noticeably lower than top European leagues such as the Premier League's 40,400 and the Bundesliga's 38,700. Thiago Freitas, COO of Roc Nation Sports Brazil, remarks that Brazilian football culture does not foster the same strong club association seen in Argentina, Uruguay, England, or Germany. Luiz Guilherme, executive at End to End, stresses that these findings challenge the popular image of Brazil as a football nation regarding live stadium participation, emphasizing a need for clubs to improve accessibility, safety, and comfort to attract fans.
While the demand for live attendance is low, technology has facilitated broader access to football through TV broadcasts and streaming. Matches like Red Bull Bragantino versus América/MG are broadcast on channels such as Premiere, and numerous games across leagues are easily accessible on multiple platforms, reflecting evolving fan consumption habits.
This shift underscores the importance of Brazilian clubs addressing economic and security concerns to rebuild stadium attendance and deepen fan engagement alongside expanding broadcast outreach.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.