Almost a third (30%) of DIY investors looked to score from the World Cup

Following the nail-biting World Cup tournament, new research from Charles Stanley Direct, part of Raymond James, reveals that almost a third (30%) of DIY investors were looking to capitalise on the investment opportunity from the World Cup.

Having been forecast to generate a £7.6 billion boost for UK economy*, that’s not all it added as fans had eyes glued to screens. Investing in sports, such as football, has increasingly garnered interest from retail investors and become a major institutional asset class, driven by such things as surging media rights, stadium real estate, and private equity.

As hype from the World Cup lingers, research from Charles Stanley Direct found:

• 31% of DIY investors invest in sports or sports clubs they are a personal fan of
  • This increases for Gen Z and Millennials alike, with 50% and 44% respectively confirming this
• 31% invest in sport events indirectly through infrastructure / retail / media
• 27% of investors say they invest in sports directly (i.e holding sports stocks)
• A quarter (24%) of investors say part of their portfolio is weighted in sport as an asset class, whether it’s football, tennis, or Formula 1
• 27% say they follow sports or league tables more because of the investments they hold than being a fan

While many look to capitalise on the investment opportunities, there are those who are more wary of the asset class.

• 52% of DIY investors believe investing in sport is too risky
• 39% would rather buy sport collectibles and merchandise than invest in football clubs directly
• 27% say they play Fantasy Football to win money, using an alternative way to capitalise on sports

Rob Morgan, Chief Investment Analyst at Charles Stanley Direct, part of Raymond James, comments: “Football is big business, and the World Cup even more so with so much emotional investment from fans in reaching the final. But investors are clearly looking for more as sports investment has increasingly gained popularity as an asset class. Whether it’s investing in local sports clubs or indirectly through infrastructure, fans and investors alike will be looking at how their favourite teams and portfolios can bring it home to win!”

Notes 

*research from analysis firm GlobalData on behalf of VoucherCodes.co.uk

Methodology:

The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 1,000 DIY Investors in the UK (’Self-Directed’), defined as; investors who actively choose their own investments (stocks, shares, crypto etc), making their own asset allocation decisions, excluding; ‘passive investors’ who just invest in managed ‘index funds’/ETFs who don’t select their own individual stock and instead invest a diversified portfolio that is managed by someone else. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.

The data was collected between 26.06.2026 – 06.07.2026.