Soccer is often celebrated as a powerful instrument of public diplomacy and international connection. FIFA estimates that more than 5 billion people worldwide follow the sport, and market research compiled by Statista suggests nearly 60% of soccer fans are men. For countless women around the world, the final whistle marks the beginning of something far more dangerous. Multiple studies have found a strong correlation, internationally, between domestic violence and major soccer matches, turning moments of national unity into moments of fear behind closed doors.
An England flag bearing the message “She Loses Every Time” draws attention to the often-overlooked rise in domestic violence during major soccer tournaments. (Photo courtesy of Women’s Aid, Corbin Shaw, House 377, 2022)
Researchers at Lancaster University found that in England, domestic violence rates increased by 26% during the World Cup when the national team won or drew, and 38% when they lost. The pattern isn’t limited to one country. Studies in several countries, including England, Brazil, Canada and Mexico, have documented increases in domestic violence reports during major soccer tournaments like the World Cup, according to UNESCO and UN Women. Researchers have linked this increase to the heightened emotions surrounding the game, amplified by increased alcohol consumption during significant tournaments.
However, it is not soccer itself that directly creates domestic violence. It exposes and exacerbates long-standing patterns in society. Gender-based violence has existed for centuries as one of the clearest embodiments of patriarchal power. According to PBS, ancient Roman law gave men broad authority over members of their households, including, in some circumstances, the power of life and death. As recently as the 18th century, English common law gave men the right to “discipline” their wives and children with a stick or whip. Referees hand out red cards for unfair tackles – but who gets a red card for the violence that follows the match?
According to the World Health Organization, one in three women worldwide will experience physical or sexual abuse in their lifetime. Though advocacy against gender-based violence grows, so does the urgent need to interrogate the societal structures that allow it to continue to exist.
Next week, most people won’t know Mónica’s name, her story, her pain, or the dinner she’d offered to make her husband before he killed her. Next week, she might fade into a statistic, a decimal point on the percentage of women affected by domestic violence. Next week, there will probably still be a Mexico fan grieving their World Cup loss, instead of the women hurting in the echoing silence of their own homes.
