Football is considered the most popular sport in the world, boasting approximately 3.5 billion fans across the globe – and few events captivate European audiences like the UEFA European Championship (Euros).
The 2024 tournament, which started on 14th June and ran until 14th July, once again featured the best national teams across the continent. But, with millions of eyes on the football for a whole month, how do these matches influence internet traffic in the countries with national teams competing in the tournament?
Internet traffic trends during the Euros
Cloudflare’s comprehensive view of Internet activities give them a unique view on traffic trends during key events – and the current football tournament is no exception. With fans across every nation glued to a different kind of screen, it’s no surprise that Internet usage saw a downwards trend when games were on. In fact, on average, Internet activity dropped by 6% across competing countries during matches.
Internet traffic and HTTP requests are typically affected by significant events, including the Super Bowl, solar eclipses, and elections. However, football matches have a unique impact. When star-studded squads or national teams play, the attention they draw can significantly shift internet usage patterns. For instance, if a match is broadcast on national TV, internet traffic typically drops as people tune into the game on their televisions – a trend that is particularly evident when the broadcast is free-to-air.
Today’s streaming services add a whole new layer to these intriguing internet traffic trends. The advent of high-speed internet and the proliferation of smart devices have made it easier than ever for fans to stream live matches from anywhere. For example, England’s opening match against Serbia on the 16th of June was watched by 15 million people on the BBC One broadcast, with an additional 3.5 million streams on BBC iPlayer – highlighting a shift towards digital viewing, even when no subscription is required.
Football matches and internet traffic decline
To better understand the broader trend, you need only look at how internet traffic shifted in individual countries during their national team games. Several countries experienced significant drops in internet traffic during matches where their national team was playing.
Western Europe and neighboring countries had the biggest drops in internet traffic during their own matches. There were reductions of at least 12% in the countries including the Netherlands, Turkey, Belgium, Croatia, Slovakia, Serbia, and host nation, Germany, when compared to the previous week.
Meanwhile, England and Scotland experienced similar traffic declines of 8% and 6% respectively. This data underscores the significant and widespread impact of the Euros on regional internet usage.
While the popularity of football in these countries has a notable impact on this trend, these variations can be also be attributed to factors like the availability and accessibility of broadcasts and the level of national engagement with the tournament. For instance, in countries where football is a major part of the national culture, such as Germany and the Netherlands, the impact of games on internet traffic is more pronounced.
Conversely, countries such as Albania, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, and Slovenia recorded increases in HTTP requests during matches instead. In some cases, this might reflect a greater reliance on online streams rather than traditional TV broadcasts, or potentially indicates higher engagement with digital platforms providing real-time updates and interactions.
Analysis of country-specific HTTP data around game times shows a spike in social media usage during halftime as well as immediately before and after matches. Unsurprisingly, traffic to websites in categories such as AI chatbots e-commerce (with some exceptions during half time), business and financial services, and productivity tools are all seeing a decrease during Euro 2024 games.
Day one impact: Germany-Scotland
With so much build up and excitement ahead of the first kick off, it’s interesting to consider how the internet responded in the home nation of Germany on the first day of the competition.
The start of the ceremony saw online traffic drop by up to 11%, deepening to 12% when the first match between Germany and Scotland officially kicked off. During halftime, traffic briefly recovered to 4% below the previous week's levels but fell again to 11% below during the second half.
But the downward trend didn’t stop with the end of the match. By 2am local time, requests had dropped by a significant 19% when compared to the previous week, marking a night of celebration for German fans.
But while online traffic drops during the games, the threats that come with the worldwide web remain just as significant as ever.
Headed to the finals
Let’s fast forward to the most recent matches of the tournament - the semi-finals. Both finalists, England and Spain experienced the most significant decrease in internet traffic as their games drew to a close, with reductions of 11% and 19% respectively. In contrast, France and the Netherlands saw a notable 27% drop, primarily in the first half.
During the Spanish team's Euros campaign, the internet traffic in Spain reduced most significantly during matches against major teams and former champions like Italy (the defending champions), Germany, and France. Comparatively, England’s performance featured crucial moments toward the end of their games, which is when internet traffic in the UK decreased the most - particularly during the knockout rounds and after Scotland's elimination from the tournament.
Cybersecurity concerns
With millions of fans tuning in, high-profile events such as this year’s tournament also create the perfect opportunity for criminals to ramp up cyber threats. In fact, throughout the Euros, there have been several cyberattacks in Germany.
The most prominent type of activity has been Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, aimed at a variety of targets. These incidents aim to overwhelm a target with a flood of internet traffic, rendering it inaccessible to legitimate users. Such an event can disrupt services, cause financial losses, and damage reputations.
During the Euros, the increased internet traffic and public attention make such events prime targets for cybercriminals seeking to exploit the situation for various motives, including political statements, financial gain, or simply to cause maximum disruption.
During the Euros, the increased internet traffic and public attention make such events prime targets for cybercriminals seeking to exploit the situation for various motives, including political statements, financial gain, or simply to cause maximum disruption.
These attacks highlight both the vulnerabilities in digital infrastructure during major events and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures to protect against such threats – not just during peak celebrations and cultural events, but always.
The football effect
Football holds a special place in the heart of Europe, so much so that it has caused notable shifts in internet traffic this year as fans tune in to watch their national teams compete in the Euros.
Despite the rise of online services such as live score apps, sports news websites with minute-by-minute updates and enhanced betting platforms with visual tools and statistics – people’s attention is still drawn away from the internet when there’s a game on.
Ultimately, the UEFA Euros 2024 has not only captivated audiences, but it has also significantly altered the continent’s internet traffic patterns, revealing a fascinating intersection between sports and digital behavior.
And, as digital viewing continues to rise, future tournaments may see even more pronounced shifts in internet usage.
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