Dyukov said that the RFU did not see a decrease in interest in football in Russia – RBC

Head of the RFU Dyukov on the VTsIOM survey: we don’t see a drop in interest in football in Russia

VTsIOM previously reported that over the past 19 years in Russia there have been more citizens indifferent to football. According to the head of the RFU, on the contrary, there is an increase in interest, the shares and ratings of broadcasts and the number of people involved in this sport are growing

None of the members of the executive committee of the Russian Football Union (RFU) saw a decrease in interest in football in the country, RFU head Alexander Dyukov told Sport24.

At the end of September, VTsIOM reported that, according to a survey in Russia, from 2005 to 2024 there were more citizens indifferent to football (from 43 to 77%), and the number of fans decreased from 19 to 4%.

According to Dyukov, the results of this survey were considered at a recent meeting of the RFU executive committee. “None of the members of the executive committee see a decrease in interest in football. This survey requires careful analysis on our part. If we look at the data we have at our disposal, we see an increase in interest in football. The number of people involved in football is constantly growing, as is the number of competitions. The shares and ratings of broadcasts and the coverage of football matches are also growing,” said the head of the RFU.

Dyukov also noted that if we talk about views, football dominates. “We also see an increase in attendance: compare pictures from 2005 and 2024. And most importantly, the league and clubs see great interest from partners and sponsors, which allows them to increase income,” said the head of the RFU.

In addition, Dyukov said that football “maintains and strengthens its leading position,” despite competition from other sports, entertainment and leisure activities.