By John Turnbull

Two University of Stirling societies say they will not watch any of the 2022 Qatar World Cup this winter, whilst TV viewership of the event has declined.

Recent data from information powerhouse IPSOS has revealed that this year’s event will be the least-watched tournament in 12 years.

However, from 14 countries participating in Qatar, the percentage of each population not watching any football has decreased since 2014.

There have been noticeable differences in viewer attitudes, though.

Figures from German TV broadcasters ARD and ZDF show that Germans watching their nation’s opening game and the tournament opening game have dropped in comparison to 2018.

However, due to the moral issues surrounding this winter’s tournament, the University of Stirling’s Amnesty society and LGBTQ+ society will join global boycotters.

A spokesperson for Amnesty International at Stirling said: “Qatar has displayed aggressive manoeuvres to destroy freedom of speech and thought.

“Since this is one of the core principles, together with the protection of human rights in their entirety, our society will not watch any of the matches.”

The country’s discriminative LGBTQ+ laws have also been shot under increasing scrutiny as the tournament draws closer.

Callum Laing, the President of Stirling University’s LGBTQ+ society, said: “It doesn’t feel safe going to into a bar where the football is on, due to knowing that everyone in there doesn’t care enough about the horrific treatment of queer people.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino claimed the event would be the most watched in the tournament’s history, despite fierce criticism over the country’s human rights record.

However, the IPSOS survey suggests that there will be a considerable decrease in people tuning into the winter World Cup on television across the globe.

Of the 34 countries surveyed this year, 14 have a national team competing this winter and were surveyed in 2018 and 2014.

Canada and the United States of America did not compete in the 2018 event, while Canada, Poland, and Saudi Arabia did not compete in 2014.

However, despite now having a national interest in the event, all nations are still expected to have a lesser percentage of their population watching the tournament on TV this year.

The North American countries, Canada and the United States have snubbed television coverage of the tournament by the widest margin.

Also, despite the 2018 World Cup dealing with its political issues, 51% of France’s population watched the games on television, however, just 31% will watch their nation try to retain its title this winter.

The IPSOS data has indicated that as TV viewership decreases, the percentage of the population choosing not to watch the World Cup in Qatar, is lower in 2022 compared to 2014.

The percentage of South Korea’s population not watching the World Cup has changed the least since the Brazil tournament, with 4% not watching in 2022 and 7% not watching in 2014.

However, nations across the globe are generally far less likely to not watch the Gulf State event, than they did the football festival in Brazil.

In 2014, over 50% of Australians said they would bypass the tournament, whilst there is a 34% difference in Belgians who have said they would not be watching matches.

Considerable differences were also unveiled by broadcasting organisations in Germany, the United Kingdom, and America.

Domestic football fans in Germany have attracted media attention in recent weeks as protests to boycott the Qatar tournament heightened.

And, almost 17 million more people watched Germany’s opening game in 2018, compared to 2022 on national broadcaster ARD, with nearly 4 million fewer tuning into the 2022 tournament opener on ZDF’s broadcast.

Figures from the UK show little change in those who tuned into England’s opening game in 2022 and 2018, on the BBC, with more eyes on England’s 2022 group game against Iran.

Similarly, more Americans decided to watch the first kick-off this winter, compared to hosts Russia in 2018.

For many, the widespread ethical and moral concerns surrounding Qatar come before any celebration of football, as television figures have shown.

However, millions will still tune in to watch the game, beautiful or not.