DUBAI: As the first FIFA World Cup to be held in the Middle East gets ready to kick off in Qatar, the entire region is waiting in anticipation.
Ticket sales for the World Cup have already approached the 3 million mark, according to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and event organizers.
The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are among the top 10 purchasing countries of the tickets, FIFA’s World Cup Chief Operating Officer Colin Smith told a news conference in Doha.
As the region gears up for a massive boost to the travel, tourism and hospitality sector, YouGov ran a survey to learn more about UAE and Saudi consumers’ viewing and purchasing habits.
“After years of planning and with less than a month to go, it’s clear from our data that the impact of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will stretch far beyond the host country itself,” Sam Dawson, commercial director at YouGov for the Middle East and North Africa, told Arab News.
“This presents an unrivaled opportunity for all companies to tap into and contribute to the excitement around the event,” he added.
The report analyzed the attitudes of consumers who will be watching from home, as well as watching the matches live.
YouGov’s data revealed that 43 percent of Saudi fans planning to watch FIFA live in the stadium are 35 to 44 years old, whereas 48 percent in the UAE are 24 to 35 years old.
The top TV-on-demand and catch-up services regularly used in Saudi Arabia by viewers who plan to watch at home are Netflix (49 percent), Shahid (25 percent), Amazon Prime (20 percent), BeIN Connect (17 percent) and OSN Streaming (17 percent).
In the UAE, too, Netflix is in the lead (55 percent), followed by Amazon Prime (28 percent), Apple TV (9 percent), StarzPlay (7 percent) and Disney+ (6 percent).
When it comes to advertisements, in Saudi Arabia, 42 percent of viewers who plan to watch the World Cup live or at home said they notice ads in retail environments; 30 percent trust the advertising they see on posters/billboards; and nearly half (49 percent) pay attention to leaflets received in the mail.
In the UAE, over half (56 percent) of those who plan to watch the World Cup live or at home often notice ads at airports; 66 percent enjoy watching trailers at the cinema; and 39 percent enjoy watching ads with their favorite celebrities.
Sponsorships are a big part of all major sporting events, and the FIFA World Cup is no exception. Money spent globally on advertising the 2018 FIFA World Cup, for example, reached $2.4 billion, with brands expected to spend $200 million on an official sponsorship package, according to research from media company Zenith.
YouGov’s research found that fans are largely optimistic about sponsorships during the event.
Forty-four percent of Saudi and 42 percent of UAE residents who plan to watch the World Cup live or at home said that sponsorships can help keep companies socially relevant.
In Saudi, 40 percent said they take notice of who sponsors the sporting events they watch, and 32 percent like to support their favorite team by buying products from their sponsors.
In the UAE, 54 percent said they like brands that stick to sponsoring one team, and 46 percent said they would buy products from brands that support their favorite team.
Despite viewers’ receptiveness to advertising, Dawson cautioned: “It’s key to not apply a ‘one-size’ fits all approach when planning events, initiatives or campaigns.”
