Study Finds Soccer Fans’ Heart Rates Rose 8 Beats per Minute During Cup Final

Wired reported that researchers at Bielefeld University tracked 229 fans of the German club Arminia Bielefeld for three months using smartwatches that recorded heart rate and a stress index derived from heart rate variability. The study compared readings on the day of the 2025 German Cup final with those from preceding days.

Fans’ physiological stress increased by about 41 percent on the final day, while average heart rate rose from 70.9 beats per minute to 78.7 beats per minute.

Stress levels began climbing in the morning and reached their peak just before kickoff, remaining elevated after the final whistle. Location affected the response. Fans at the stadium recorded an average heart rate of 94.2 beats per minute, compared with 79.4 beats per minute for those watching on television.

Those in the stands saw heart rates reach an average of 108 beats per minute after their team’s first goal. Participants who reported drinking during the match showed heart rates about 5 percent higher than nondrinkers during the game and nearly 12 percent higher after the first goal.

Heart rates were highest in the opening minutes when the outcome remained uncertain, then declined once the result appeared decided.

Two late goals produced renewed spikes even though a comeback was no longer possible. The findings indicate that emotional factors such as hope and attachment influence physiological responses beyond the objective probability of victory.