Ready for World Cup 2026 the end? You may think you are, but your body will have to be prepared to do some work—especially if your favorite team is successful.
Research shows that watching high-pressure matches can increase your heart rate, increase your stress levels, and put more stress on your cardiovascular system.
According to a recent research from researchers at Bielefeld University in Germany, fans’ stress increases by about 41 percent during a soccer final compared to a normal day. Heart rate also rose sharply, jumping from 70.9 beats per minute to 78.7 beats per minute—a difference even compared to the rest of the weekend.
Researchers in Bielefeld followed 229 fans of the German club Arminia Bielefeld for three months. Participants wore smartwatches that continuously recorded heart rate and stress index estimates based on heart rate variability, allowing researchers to compare the day of the 2025 German Cup final with the day before the match.
The psychological reaction to a soccer final begins long before the match begins. The researchers observed that fans’ stress levels started to rise in the morning and peaked before the game started. Even after the final whistle, the spectators showed signs of heightened stress.
Where you watch the game also makes a difference. The study found that fans who watched the field had an average heart rate of 94.2 beats per minute compared to 79.4 among those who watched the match on television. After their team’s first goal, those in the stands saw their heart rates rise to an average of up to 108 beats per minute—a stronger response than that observed in other contexts.
Alcohol consumption seemed to increase that effect. Participants who reported drinking alcohol during the game had heart rates about 5 percent higher than other fans during the match and about 12 percent higher after their team’s first goal. Although the researchers did not evaluate health risksthey find that alcohol can increase cardiovascular stress when people are in an emotional state.
During the first few minutes of the match, when the outcome was still uncertain, heart rates reached their highest levels. As soon as the game seemed decided, the heart rate of the fans dropped.
However, two goals scored in the final minutes saw them rise again, although the chance of a comeback was almost gone. (You can only imagine how fast the hearts of Argentina fans were beating during this week’s furious comeback against Egypt.) To the authors, this reflects that the organization responds not only to chances to win but also to emotions such as hope, pride, or attachment to the team.
The results are consistent with the results of previous studies on the psychological effects of soccer. That includes research published in New England Journal of Medicine after the 2006 World Cup in Germany, it was found that the risk of having a serious cardiovascular event almost tripled during matches of the German national team among people with heart disease.
Subsequent research shows that matches can cause an increase in stress hormones such as cortisol and found that fans who are more involved with their team show stronger biological responses during important matches.
This article appeared previously WIRED in Spanish and translated from Spanish.
