World Cup villages, food courts, and shops open until 10 p.m.: The 2006 FIFA World Cup could turn Germany into an open-air festival and change the everyday habits of Germans: "Out" is "in"! From June 9th onwards, the consumer and leisure scene will take place outdoors, right outside the door or around the corner. One in nine Germans (11.51%) wants to experience the feeling of togetherness live with others in front of the big screen. Almost as many (10.71%) are rediscovering the pub as a communal experience for watching football matches. More than half the population (54.01%) wants to watch the games with friends, and 44% with their families. This is according to a recent representative survey by the BAT Leisure Research Institute, in which 2,000 people aged 14 and over across Germany were asked where and with whom they plan to watch the World Cup matches.

""Germans are taking the World Cup advertising slogan 'The world as guests of friends' literally: They prefer to watch the World Cup matches with friends rather than with their partner or family," says Prof. Dr. Horst W. Opaschowski, the institute's scientific director. "A comeback of the friendly neighbor is also on the horizon: One in seven football fans invites neighbors over or accepts invitations."‚

Football enthusiasm is limited:
One in four German citizens is not at all interested in it.

A good quarter of the population (27.81%) wants little to do with the mega sporting event in Germany: 34 percent of women and 21 percent of men say "I'm not interested." "Those who aren't interested in the World Cup will turn to other things or watch alternative programs on TV as couch potatoes," says Dr. Ulrich Reinhardt, project manager of the BAT World Cup study. Also noteworthy is this: Almost one in five football fans (19.4%) wants to enjoy the event "alone" if possible and not be disturbed by anyone during the broadcast – not even their partner. When it comes to football, there are clearly limits to being alone: Almost one in five fans in a two-person household (17.7%) practically locks themselves in their room during the TV broadcast.

Live in the stadium – men are twice as likely to attend as women.

Experiencing a World Cup match live in the stadium remains a dream for many football fans. Only a minority of Germans (3.41%) currently report having purchased a ticket for the games. Reinhardt explains: "This equates to over two million tickets, which corresponds to roughly two-thirds of all tickets sold. Twice as many tickets are for men (4.61%) as for women (2.31%) – a ratio that is even more pronounced in the Bundesliga." With ticket prices reaching up to €600, however, one has to be able to afford a ticket. The proportion of ticket holders increases with rising net household income. Within the age structure, the proportion of younger stadium-goers (up to 34 years: 6.21%) is significantly higher than that of older spectators (over 55 years: 2.01%).

Whether at work or on vacation – football is always a welcome sight.

A representative survey conducted by the BAT Leisure Research Institute in February 2006 revealed that only about one in ten Germans (9.71%) planned to travel during the FIFA World Cup. The assumption that these vacationers wouldn't be interested in the tournament proved false. Almost two-thirds of them intended to watch the matches on television, even while enjoying sun, sand, and sea. And those who had to work didn't want to miss out on the excitement. A full 3.3 percent planned to take a break from work – mostly with colleagues – and watch the games on screen. Many employers set up screens and planned events. Perhaps this could strengthen team spirit, reduce sick leave, and also ensure that the boss isn't watching the games alone in the office.