World Cup: 1 in 8 Fans Think Clashing Weddings Should be Moved ⚽💒
Hi Simon,
Be honest... if a wedding clashed with your national team's World Cup match, would you stay for the full reception?
Brand-new research from Scottish wholesale and gift retailer Thistle Products has revealed that many fans wouldn't.
They surveyed 1,500 football fans and found that:
- 1 in 8 (12%) think weddings should be moved entirely if they clash with their national team playing
- 1 in 8 (12%) would leave a wedding early to watch the match properly
- 1 in 25 (4%) would skip the wedding altogether
Even those attending admitted they would secretly follow the football throughout the day:
- 27% would secretly check scores during speeches
- 26% would watch the match on their phone during the reception
- 11% would listen to commentary through wireless earphones during the wedding
With the World Cup starting in two weeks, the findings highlight just how far some fans will go to avoid missing a major match.
The full release and survey data are below.
Reckon this is something your readers would have strong opinions on ahead of the tournament? 👀
Best,
Bekki
Football Fans Admit They Will Secretly Watch The World Cup During Weddings
Some football fans would apparently rather move a wedding than miss a World Cup match.
New research by Scottish wholesale and gift retailer Thistle Products found that 1 in 8 football fans (12%) believe weddings should be moved entirely if they clash with a major World Cup fixture.
The survey of 1,500 football fans also revealed that 1 in 8 (12%) would leave a wedding early to watch the match properly, while 1 in 25 (4%) admitted they would skip the wedding entirely if it clashed with a major game.
And for many guests, even attending the wedding would not stop them from secretly following the football throughout the day.
Guests Admit They Would Secretly Follow the Match Throughout the Wedding
Thistle Products’ survey has uncovered that more than 1 in 3 fans (34%) admitted they would secretly check football scores under the table during speeches, while 30% said they would pretend to go to the bathroom just to check the score.
Meanwhile, 27% would check scores from their pocket during the ceremony itself, while more than 1 in 4 (26%) admitted they would watch the match on their phone during the reception.
Others said they would secretly listen to commentary through a wireless earphone during the wedding (11%), while 7% would even ask the venue to put the football on TV.
In fact, only a fifth of fans (22%) said they would completely ignore the football and focus entirely on the wedding itself.
Some Fans Expect Couples to Accommodate the World Cup
The research also suggests many guests now expect couples to actively work around major World Cup fixtures when planning weddings.
More than a quarter (27%) said they would expect live score updates during the reception, while 1 in 4 (25%) would want a separate viewing room or bar area where guests could properly watch the match.
Meanwhile, 1 in 8 (12%) believe weddings should simply be moved entirely if they clash with a major World Cup fixture.
How The World Cup Is Reshaping Weddings And Summer Events
Scottish wholesale and gift retailer Thistle Products commissioned the research to explore how football fans balance major life events with major World Cup moments.
The company designs and supplies Scottish football gifts, novelty products and match-day souvenirs for retailers, fan zones and venues during major tournaments, including Scotland flags, hats, ponchos, sunglasses and other football merchandise.
Carol-Ann Brown, Director at Thistle Products, said: “The responses show that during a World Cup, football stops being something people casually follow and becomes the main event in people’s lives for a few weeks.
“A wedding would normally be the one occasion where people completely switch off from everything else, but the fact that so many fans admitted they would still be checking scores, following commentary, or even leaving early shows how intense tournament football becomes.
“What’s interesting is that people do not even seem embarrassed about it anymore.
“In fact, only 22% of fans said they don’t expect the bride and groom to change anything if the wedding clashed with a major World Cup match.
“That shows just how much tournament football now shapes summer plans, social events and group occasions.
“In Scotland especially, football creates a huge social atmosphere during major tournaments. It takes over pubs, parties, group chats and summer events completely.
“That’s why football flags, hats and match-day souvenirs become such a big part of the experience. Fans want to feel fully involved in the occasion wherever they’re watching.”