Watch parties stayed until the wee hours to witness what is probably the biggest sports spectacle – the FIFA World Cup. The final contest turned out to be a classic duel between two of the best players, Lionel Messi of Argentina and Kylian Mbappe of France. The contest lasted for 120 minutes, as the two sides battled to a 3-all draw. Argentina prevailed by a score of 4-2, in the penalty shootout.
Croatia defeated Morocco, 2-1, to claim the bronze medal after finishing second to France in Moscow four years ago. Japan and South Korea made it to the quarterfinals but lost to Croatia and Brazil, respectively.
Global figures are still being compiled for the 2022 TV viewership; early trends show that football is still the biggest spectator sport worldwide. In May 2022, Forbes reported that soccer stars Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Neymar de Silva Santos Junior of Brazil were ranked first, third and fourth, respectively, among the five highest paid athletes in the world. Basketball players Lebron James and Stephen Curry joined them in the charmed circle. In Forbes’ October 2022 report, Kylian Mbappe was ranked as the highest paid.
According to Statista, the German-based market and consumer data organization, an estimated 518 million watched the World Cup final in 2018; 191 million was the 64-match average viewership. This overshadows the estimated audience of 150 million for the 2022 United States Super Bowl. In terms of global reach, measured in terms of unique viewers on linear television and digital channels, the 2018 FIFA World Cup attracted 3.56 billion viewers, compared to 3.05 billion viewers during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. In comparison, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics attained an estimated audience of 2.01 billion.
The FIFA World Cup’s ascendancy is not difficult to understand. A total of 192 nations play the qualifying matches throughout the four-year interval between World Cups. By the time the top 32 teams qualify for the tournament, high levels of excitement and anticipation have been generated.
But it is the athleticism and artistry of superstars like Brazil’s Pele and Ronaldo, and Argentina’s Diego Maradona and Messi that has stirred the imagination of millions of fans, including young children who play on the streets. A month ahead of the FIFA World Cup, Qatar also hosted the Street Child World Cup to highlight the sports efforts to empower children all over the world. This unique competition was participated in by 28 teams from 24 countries.
Meanwhile, the Philippines looks forward to hosting the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in August and September 2023. Qualifying games will be held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and the Mall of Asia Arena in Metro Manila; the championship round will be played at the 52,000-seat Philippine Arena in Santa Maria, Bulacan. This would be an opportunity for the country to garner global attention by demonstrating excellence in event management and our unique blend of Filipino hospitality.