The UN General Assembly has declared May 25 as World Football Day to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the first international football tournament. Football is widely popular and impacts various spheres, including commerce and diplomacy. Major events like the FIFA World Cup attract billions, and growth opportunities exist in North America and parts of Asia and Oceania.

To honor the 100th anniversary of the inaugural international football tournament on May 25, 1924, the UN General Assembly has designated May 25 as World Football Day. This resolution, enacted on May 7, 2024, recognizes football’s extensive global influence, particularly in commerce, peace, and diplomacy. Football fosters cooperation and highlights its potential positive contributions to development and humanitarian efforts worldwide.

Football, also known as soccer, is universally recognized, being followed and played in every region of the world. Major events like the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Champions League Final rank among the largest sporting occasions, rivaled only by the Olympics. The FIFA World Cup in Qatar 2022 engaged approximately 5 billion people, with the final drawing an audience of 1.5 billion. In contrast, the UEFA Champions League final reached an estimated 450 million viewers, overshadowing the Super Bowl’s reach of around 200 million globally.

A chart derived from Statista Consumer Insights illustrates the popularity of football across different regions. It reveals substantial enthusiasm for the sport in Europe and Latin America while highlighting potential growth areas in North America, Asia, and Oceania. This data underscores the global footprint of football and its capacity to expand its influence further.

Original Source: www.statista.com