⏱ 4 minutes to read • July 10, 2026
Watch the World Cup? It may do more than your entertainment. Find out why it can boost your mental health with expert insights from Kurt W. Ela, Psy.D.
If you go to the World Cup, you are not alone.
Highlights
- Sport plays a huge role in our global community.
- We are seeing this in the excitement surrounding the World Cup.
- Studies show that participating in sports events can have mental and physical health benefits.
Read more here: 9 Types of Relaxation Your Nervous System Really Needs
Watching the World Cup can be better for your mental health.
Every four years, the world comes together to watch the national team play in the biggest football tournament. Whether you are a football fan or not, the spectacle is exciting and the talent is impressive. Football is not your sport, is it? You also have the option of visiting Wimbledon Tennis, the oldest annual tennis tournament in London. It was quieter, but less exciting. For the rest of the year, you have sports to watch at both the amateur and professional levels.
I was lucky enough to be the primary caregiver for the Washington Capitals, the National Hockey League team in DC. When I joined the game, I saw how strong the fans were. I also saw the intimacy of the “High Tradet” fans and sang together. Intuitively, it makes sense that watching sports will be positive for one’s mental health, especially for people. Fortunately, we have research data that supports this.
Many studies have explored the potential benefits of participating in a sporting event. Helen Keyes, a psychologist at Anglia Ruskin University in the UK, and colleagues found that participating in sports events:
- Improves self-reported anxiety.
- Decreased loneliness
- Increase the feeling that life has value
The discovery is for participation in professional and amateur sports events, which is encouraging, as World Cup tickets are currently selling for more than $ 1,000.
But what about watching TV? It does not seem to reduce the feeling of loneliness because it lacks people in it Bond Experience. However, a number of other benefits remain, such as positive effects on satisfaction and well-being in life (Lera-López et al., 2021). This puts the bar down sharply, as about 97% of Americans have at least one television, according to Nielsen research.
How can you take advantage of these health benefits? Consider the following:
- Research the schedule for your local college or high school sports team. Professional games are exciting but can be expensive.
- Watch some games on your favorite sports TV. Once you get to know some of the players and their personalities, it can be fun to take root for them, even from the comfort of your couch.
- Connect with friends who may have similar sports interests or teamwork. This way you can join the game together or just share the intimacy of watching your team on TV.
- Consider the World Cup “Watch the Party”. Many cities are broadcasting games in towns, parties or restaurants.
Sport is big in America and all over the world. Why not seize the opportunity to participate in the celebration and excitement of sports, whether local or global?
Read more here: 3 important life lessons you can learn from sports
Watch Decades of childhood For expert insights or follow Dr. Kurt Ela on Instagram at @drkurtela For more tips.
References
Keyes, H., Gradidge, S., Gibson, N., Harvey, A., Roeloffs, S., Zawisza, M., & Forwood, S. (2023). Participating in live sports events predicts the well-being of the subject and reduces loneliness. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 989706. Https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.989706
Kinoshita, K., Nakagawa, K., & Sato, S. (2024). Watching sports increase well-being: Evidence from a multidisciplinary approach. Sports Management Review, 27 (4), 595–619. https://doi.org/10.1080/14413523.2024.2329831
Lera-López, F., Ollo-López, A. and Sánchez-Santos, JM (2021) Does participation in passive sports have a positive relationship with happiness? Appl Psychol Health Well-Being, 13: 195-218. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12227
Written by Kurt W Ela Psy.D.
Originally appeared on Psychology Today
