New research delves into stress experienced from watching matches

Staff Writer
SpaSeekers
Image provided by Propellernet

With soccer supporters all over the world bracing themselves for nail-biting matches, UK-based spa booking site SpaSeekers.com has created the world’s first massage that specifically targets soccer match nerves.  

Working with massage and relaxation experts at The Spa at Laceby Manor spa in England, the ‘Soccer Stress Massage’ uses bespoke massage techniques to help the body de-stress and encourage a more relaxed state of mind, so that fans can watch their national team without being overcome with nerves.  

Censuswide surveyed 1,000 soccer fans, asking them a range of questions about how nervous they feel while watching a match, and the range of symptoms they experience.

  • 82% of soccer fans say they experience nervousness and stress whilst watching matches 
  • Sweating, shaking and even diarrhea are physical symptoms that are regularly experienced by fans due to the nerves 
  • New research reveals many fans say watching soccer is more stressful than taking an exam, having a job interview, and even public speaking 
  • One of the recommended relaxation techniques involves a head massage using a claw hand formation to target scalp and neck strain 

Each part of the massage has been chosen for its relaxing properties. For example, a self-shoulder massage aims to relax your shoulders, an area that often carries a lot of tension when stressed, by applying pressure in circular motions to release the muscle tension. To promote a feeling of calm and steadiness, the claw shoulder massage involves massaging the head in a claw formation to target scalp and neck strain, often brought on by nerves.  

Shaking, throwing up and diarrhea are all experienced by fans from ‘match stress’ 

Getting nervous or stressed before or during a match is extremely common, with eight in 10 (82%) fans saying they experience anxiety and unease. The most common symptom of pre-match nerves is feeling restless, with more than a quarter (28%) of fans experiencing this, followed by stomach butterflies (27.5%) and sweaty palms (16%).  

One in six (15%) fans experience stomach issues, such as stomach aches or even diarrhea, and 7.5% of fans suffer from nausea or vomiting due to nerves when watching soccer. In fact, one in six (16%) soccer fans found watching a match more nerve-racking than taking an exam – 15% say it’s more stressful than having a job interview, and one in seven (14%) say it’s more anxiety-inducing than public speaking – showing just how stressful live matches can be for fans.  

Top 15 most common effects of soccer nerves 

  1. Feeling restless – 28% 
  1. Stomach butterflies – 27.5% 
  1. Sweaty palms – 16% 
  1. Tense shoulders and/or neck – 15% 
  1. Sweating – 14% 
  1. Heart flutters – 13.5% 
  1. Faster breathing – 11% 
  1. Shaking – 7% 
  1. Headaches – 7% 
  1. An upset stomach – 6.5% 
  1. Stomach aches – 5.5% 
  1. Nausea – 5% 
  1. Short of breath – 5% 
  1. Diarrhea – 3% 
  1. Vomiting – 2.5% 

How to cure soccer stress:

The newly created ‘Soccer Stress Massage’ is designed so it can be performed anywhere, and without any equipment, so whether you watch the match at home or at the bar you’ll be able to experience the benefits. Importantly, the massage has both a ‘solo’ and ‘for friends’ version – meaning you can perform the massage on yourself or help your friends de-stress if you’re all watching together. 

Massage method to de-stress yourself: 

  1. Temple rubs: Place two fingers on your temples and apply light pressure and massage in circular motions for 10 seconds. 
  1. Neck slides: Apply either 2 or 3 fingers to the side of your neck, starting at the base of the scalp. Gently slide them round to the back of the neck, then repeat again slightly lower until you reach the bottom of the neck. Repeat on the opposite side. 
  1. The self-shoulder massage: Cup your hand and place over the opposite shoulder and start to rub in circle motions, apply pressure with your fingertips to work the muscles. Do this for 10 seconds on each side. 
  1. Face tapping: Gently and lightly tap over your face, one finger at a time and increasing speed so your fingers flow. Start at the top of your head and work your way down past your temples and cheeks until you reach your jaw.  

Massage method to destress your friends: 

  1. Claw shoulder massage: Spread your fingers apart and bend slightly, so your hands are like two claws. Then place on either side of their head, with thumbs near the base of their neck and little fingers near the temples. Firmly move your hand in small circular motions, doing five slow circles.  
  1. Calming arm slides: Hold their hand with one hand, and with the other hand use two fingers to firmly slide up their arm – starting from their wrist and ending just before their elbow. Repeat three times. 
  1. Hand rubs: Place your thumb and first two fingers around their knuckle, then firmly work your way to the tip of the fingers. Then gently pull on the nail area.  
  1. Shoulder squeezes: Make a C with your hands and place them over their shoulders, so your thumb is on their back and your fingers are near to their collarbone. Start close to the neck and gently squeeze once, then move slightly down the shoulder. Repeat this until you reach the end of their shoulders.  
  1. Soothing shoulder swipes: Then use your thumbs to follow the shoulder blade round in a swiping motion. Repeat three times. 

Jason Goldberg, Director at SpaSeekers.com, comments: 

“As experts in relaxation, we wanted to do our bit for fans around the world, so they don’t need to feel the stressful effects of watching matches. We’re thrilled to be able to provide a vital tool for those who feel sick with nerves when enduring every free kick, yellow card, or dreaded penalties, and hope that it makes a big difference to nervy soccer supporters during the World Cup.” 

To see the full massage technique and detailed instructions on how to perform the expertly curated massage, visit: https://www.spaseekers.com/spa-insider/inspiration/football-fears/

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Football West’s Female Football Week draws record engagement from Metropolitan Perth to Remote Kunurra

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Image Credit: Football West

Football West has wrapped up its 2026 Female Football Week with activations spanning metropolitan Perth, regional Western Australia and national online platforms, as participation data from the state’s most remote football association underlined the scale of demand for women’s and girls’ football beyond the city.

Kununurra Soccer Association, situated in the East Kimberley more than 3,000 kilometres from Perth, recorded 47 new female registrations aged 7 to 12 across the first two terms of 2026 through Football West’s Junior Girls United program, representing a 30 percent increase in female membership that coaches Hannah Grominsky and Evie Marchetti described as overwhelming.

“The support from the community has been simply awesome,” Grominsky said. “We’re up to nearly 50 registered girls now. The majority of them have never played before or aren’t part of our association, so it’s great to give them a positive football experience in a comfortable environment.”

The program, supported by the Federal Government’s Play Our Way grant, now runs every Wednesday and has extended football activity into the cooler months of the Kimberley calendar, a season when the association would not traditionally operate. The result is a cohort of players new to the game, in a region where access to organised sport has historically been constrained by geography, infrastructure and seasonality.

Recognition across the state

Back in Perth, Female Football Week’s centrepiece event was the Women in Football Celebrate You Breakfast at the Sam Kerr Football Centre, featuring two panel discussions covering officiating pathways, coaching development and advocacy for women in football.

Subiaco AFC NPL Women’s head coach Christine Coppin, who is one of few women coaching at her level in the region, said events like the breakfast were critical to making the pathway visible for others.

“I’d love to see more women coaches putting their hat in the ring, both at junior and senior levels, realising that there’s more to football than just playing,” Coppin said. “They can stay involved in the sport as they get older in different ways.”

A regional Women in Football Breakfast in Albany drew more than 30 attendees, while a Girls Day Out event in the same city attracted more than 50 participants aged 6 to 16 for a come-and-try introduction to the game, extending the week’s reach into the Great Southern and reinforcing Football West’s stated commitment to building women’s football outside metropolitan areas.

Recognising those who make it happen

The week’s awards, nominated by the WA public, recognised five individuals whose contributions to female football across the state were judged most significant over the past year. Cassandra Paxman of Albany Rovers FC was named Coach of the Year, Georgia Whitelaw of Great Southern JSA and Albany JSA took Referee of the Year, Karen Harris of Carramar Shamrock Rovers FC was named Volunteer of the Year, Georgia Aiesi of Mandurah City FC received the Player of the Year award, and Melissa Spillman of Football Futures Foundations was named Community Champion of the Year— a recognition she also received at the national level.

Football West Female Football and Advocacy Manager Sarah Carroll said the week had reinforced both the momentum and the responsibility facing the sport.

“Female Football Week continues to showcase the incredible passion and growing appetite for the women’s game,” Carroll said. “It’s a reminder of how important it is that we keep working together to drive the game forward.”

The contrast between a packed breakfast at the Sam Kerr Football Centre and a Wednesday afternoon program in Kununurra working around wet season schedules captures something essential about where women’s football in Western Australia actually lives. The growth is real, and it is happening in places the cameras do not always reach.

Tasmania’s State Budget Commits $350,000 to Football Facility Planning as $80 million Home of Football Moves Closer to Reality

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Image Credit: Football Tasmania

The Tasmanian State Government has committed $350,000 in seed funding for the next stage of planning for Football Tasmania‘s proposed Home of Football, moving the state’s most significant football infrastructure project closer to construction and signalling political recognition that demand for rectangular facilities in Tasmania has outgrown what currently exists.

The funding, confirmed in the 2026-27 State Budget handed down last week, sits within an almost $200 million investment in sport and recreation across the budget and forward estimates: a package the government describes as designed to improve access and participation for Tasmanians of all ages. The football allocation is listed alongside a $25 million community sporting infrastructure commitment at Kingborough, $12.5 million for new multipurpose indoor sporting courts at New Town Bay, and $8 million for the Domain Tennis Centre redevelopment.

Football Tasmania CEO Tony Pignata OAM welcomed the commitment as an acknowledgement of the structural gap between participation numbers and available infrastructure, particularly in the state’s south.

“The State Government’s delivery on this commitment shows us that they understand that demand outstrips supply for rectangular facilities in the state,” Pignata said. “If we are to continue to grow and develop future Matildas and Socceroos, we need to invest in the infrastructure our game so desperately needs.”

The proposed $80 million facility would include six full-sized pitches, three synthetic and three turf, alongside four five-a-side pitches, modern changerooms for both men and women, and dedicated training facilities. The design is intended to serve every level of the game simultaneously, from grassroots junior competitions through to national-level tournaments.

From grassroots to A-League ambitions

Football Tasmania has framed the facility’s purpose across a deliberately wide range of uses. At the community end, it would provide a permanent home for junior games and regional tournaments that currently compete for limited rectangular ground availability across the state. At the elite end, it would create the capacity to host national competitions including the Emerging Matildas and Emerging Socceroos Championships, flagship state competitions such as the Statewide Cup finals, and potentially, in time, an A-League team.

That last ambition is the most significant and the most distant. Pignata was measured but direct in raising it, situating a Tasmanian A-League club alongside the NBL’s Jackjumpers, the WNBL’s Jewels and the AFL’s Devils as part of the state’s emerging identity as a home for national sporting competition.

“One day down the track, we anticipate this would become home to our very own A-League team, so that we take our rightful place in the nation’s elite competition,” he said.

The pathway from planning funding to A-League admission is long and would require sustained political and commercial support well beyond the current commitment. But the logic is consistent with how football infrastructure investment has worked elsewhere in Australia. The facility comes first, and the competitive pathway follows. Without a purpose-built ground that meets the standards required for elite competition, the conversation about an A-League team cannot begin in earnest.

The equity dimension

The inclusion of modern women’s and men’s changerooms in the facility’s design carries more weight than it might appear. Community and semi-professional football facilities across Australia have historically been built to male standards, with women’s changerooms added as afterthoughts or not included at all. That inadequacy has been consistently identified as a barrier to female participation and to the hosting of women’s competitions at venues that cannot accommodate them properly.

A purpose-built facility that treats women’s infrastructure as a design requirement rather than a retrofit positions the Home of Football to serve the growth of women’s football in Tasmania in a way that existing facilities cannot. The state recorded 41,395 registered football participants in 2025, a number that has been growing and that the current rectangular facility stock was not built to support at this scale.

Additionally, the government’s Ticket to Play program, which provides eligible children with two vouchers worth up to $100 each for sporting participation, and the Ticket to Wellbeing program offering $100 vouchers to eligible seniors, represent indirect but meaningful support for football participation across the state’s communities.

Pignata also acknowledged outgoing Football Tasmania President Bob Gordon, who he said had dedicated almost a decade to the organisation and had been instrumental in lobbying for this and other facilities across the state.

The $350,000 planning commitment is a beginning. The $80 million facility it is intended to progress remains subject to further government investment and development approval.

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