Brazil is known as the country of football.
But it’s not, at least not according to this interesting study of attendances by Brazil’s Pluri sports consultancy.
An average of 14,897 people go to watch first division matches in Brazil. That puts Brazil in 13th place on the world table, behind countries like the United States, Japan and China.
Germany is first, with an average attendance of 45,083; England is second with 34,604 and Spain is third with 28,400. More people went to see games in the English and German second divisions than the Brasileirao.
The reasons are varied and have to do with the high ticket prices charged in Brazil, run-down facilities and insecurity in and around stadiums, and the large number of games shown on television.
The top 14 is here. (Country followed by total fans and average attendance)
1 Germany 13,795,286 45,083
2 England 13,149,676 34,604
3 Spain 10,791,927 28,400
4 México 3,877,500 25,343
5 Italy 8,330,161 21,921
6 USA 2,935,882 18,700
7 The Netherlands 5,954,191 19,458
8 France 7,167,940 18,863
9 England (Second Division) 9,969,699 17,899
10 China 4,242,026 17,675
11 Germany (Second Division) 5,266,941 17,212
12 Japan 2,204,074 16,572
13 Brazil 5,660,987 14,897
14 Scotland 3,163,154 13,873
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October 16, 2012 at 2:11 pm
Julio
The attendance numbers in Brasil don’t relate to the passion for the sport itself. People are tired of the scandals envolving CBF and major teams, real soccer is played in fields around the country, and has nothing in comon with what you see in TV.
October 16, 2012 at 2:19 pm
andrewdownie
You’re right, Julio, and thanks for commenting.
However, the numbers are still a bit shocking. More people go to see games in the US and China than Brazil. There are less than 5 million people in Scotland and the average attendance there is almost the same as Brazil. That means a Scottish person is 40 times more likely to go to a game than a Brazilian.
Brazilians like to say this is the ‘pais de futebol.’ This study shows that’s not really the case.
Thanks again and keep posting, Andrew
October 26, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Julio
Can you read portuguese? The link below tells how CBF is punishing a club because the fans protested referer’s errors. That’s why Premier League soccer here in Brasil is almost another sport rather than the real one:
http://mariomarcos.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/era-so-o-que-faltava-cbf-quer-silenciar-o-torcedor/
The author is a well-known reporter from the south.
October 26, 2012 at 5:36 pm
andrewdownie
Yeah, I can read Portuguese. A mesma coisa que em Recife, ne? Valeu o link….Abs, Andrew