Football World Cup leads to 57% rise in Swedish work absences

Major men's football championships significantly increase the likelihood of employees being absent from work in Sweden, a recent analysis by Statistics Sweden (SCB) reveals. The study indicates that the probability of absence rises by 57 percent when major tournaments are underway.

SCB compared absence data from 2005 to 2025, analyzing nine major men's football championships, including four World Cups and five European Championships. The analysis focused on individuals aged 16 to 64 with permanent employment. During championship weeks, the probability of short-term absence from work climbs to 27 percent, a notable increase from the 19 percent observed during weeks without such events.

Lena Johansson, a statistician at SCB, explained the odds ratio, stating that if the baseline odds of absence during non-championship summer weeks are considered 1, they rise to 1.57 during championship weeks. This means the relationship between the probability of being absent and not being absent shifts significantly. The analysis also found variations across different demographic groups, with younger individuals and those born abroad exhibiting lower absence rates compared to older and native-born Swedes during these football-focused periods.