With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just around the corner, anticipation in Austria and Germany remains modest. Only about one-third of the population in each country is highly interested in the World Cup. At the same time, roughly half of respondents view their national team’s participation as important for their respective countries.
These findings come from a recent study by TQS Research & Consulting in collaboration with horizoom, which surveyed 1,000 people in both Austria and Germany.
Only one in three is looking forward to the World Cup with great anticipation
Currently, 29 percent of respondents in Austria and 35 percent in Germany say they have a great or very great interest in the 2026 World Cup. At the same time, more than a third of Austrians (37%) and just under three in ten Germans (29%) say their interest is very low. While interest in Austria has hardly changed since March 2026, anticipation in Germany has risen slightly. There, the share of those particularly interested increased from 31 to 35 percent within three months.
Own national team remains a key factor
The participation of one’s own national team continues to play a significant role in personal interest. About half of those surveyed rate their own team’s World Cup participation as somewhat or very important for their personal interest in the tournament (Austria: 47%, Germany: 51%). The importance for one’s own country is rated even higher. 58 percent of Austrians and 52 percent of Germans view their country’s participation in the World Cup as somewhat or very significant.
Germany is more optimistic about its own team
When it comes to athletic performance, Germans are significantly more optimistic than Austrians. While many Austrians believe their team can reach the round of 16 at best, numerous Germans expect their team to advance to the quarterfinals or even the semifinals. There are also differences regarding their own team’s chances of winning the title: Six percent of Germans believe a World Cup victory for Germany is possible, while in Austria only two percent believe in such a major upset.
Spain is the top favorite for both countries
There is remarkable agreement on the question of the future World Cup champion. Spain is most frequently named as the title contender in both Austria and Germany. 71 percent of Austrians and 70 percent of Germans expect Spain to win the World Cup title in the summer of 2026.
Canada scores high on safety – the U.S. and Mexico are viewed more critically
The security situation in the host countries is assessed differently. Canada enjoys a high level of trust in both countries. 94 percent of Austrians and 92 percent of Germans rate the security situation there as somewhat or very safe. The assessment for the U.S. is significantly more skeptical. More than half of Austrians (47%) and just under six in ten Germans (53%) rate the security situation as somewhat or very unsafe. Mexico is viewed most critically. More than two-thirds of respondents in both countries rate the security situation there as somewhat or very unsafe.
Study Profile: Insights Austria
Since 2024, TQS Research & Consulting, in collaboration with the online access panel horizoom, has been conducting a regular survey of 1,000 Austrians and 1,000 Germans on various socially relevant topics. The study provides up-to-date insights into public sentiment—ranging from politics and the media to the workplace, financial situation, and health.
For this study, 1,000 people aged 16 to 65 in Austria and Germany were surveyed online in June 2026. The samples are representative and weighted by age, gender, region, and education. The survey was conducted from June 2–8, 2026, via the online access panels of horizoom GmbH.
Further details on the study, including a chart report: https://www.blog.tqs.at
About TQS Research & Consulting KG
www.tqs.at
TQS combines consulting and market research to develop tailored solutions and tools for clients and support their decision-making to ensure market success. TQS Research & Consulting KG was founded in 1997 following a successful FWF research project conducted by the Institute for Marketing Management at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and the Institute for Work and Organizational Psychology at the University of Vienna. For more than two decades, TQS has successfully implemented proven tools and concepts in practice and developed new methods to address clients’ specific needs.
About horizoom GmbH
www.horizoom.de
horizoom was founded in 2023 with the goal of creating quality, service, and genuine added value for clients as a data-driven online access panel provider. In doing so, we think and act with a “people first” approach: We are convinced that only fair, respectful treatment of people throughout the entire research process can lead to honest and engaged responses—and thus valuable insights. horizoom GmbH is ISO 20252:2019 certified, owner-managed, and independent, with 34 employees; it is headquartered in Berlin and has an additional office in Cologne. As a member of the associations ADM, BVM, DGOF, ESOMAR, and VMÖ, horizoom is committed to complying with the recognized industry standards of the market and social research profession as set by the Council of German Market Research (Rat der Deutschen Marktforschung e.V.) and the international ICC/ESOMAR Code.
[Cover image created with AI]
