Why football fans feel devastated when their team loses

A record 48 teams competed at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Now, with the tournament nearing the final on Sunday, 46 nations have been eliminated, leaving millions of fans to process their team’s defeat.

Football has an extraordinary ability to unite people. Fans have travelled across the world to support their teams, while millions more have gathered in homes, pubs and public spaces to share every moment together. Victory brings elation, celebration and national pride. But defeat can trigger equally powerful emotions – disappointment, anger, grief and even a sense of emptiness. So why do football results affect us so deeply?

In this episode, Martha Newson, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Greenwich, explains the psychology behind our emotional investment in the beautiful game. We also hear from football fans in Belgium, Egypt, England and France about what it felt like to watch their teams lose on the biggest stage.

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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Adam Chowdhury
Editor: Verity Wilde