Sports
2010 W/Cup: Fans Turn To Cellphones To Track Games
The billions of fans of soccer’s World Cup, globally the premiere sporting event, will increasingly turn to mobile phones to track the action, according to a Nielsen survey released over the weekend.
More than half of the 27,000 people surveyed in 55 countries plan to follow the popular soccer tournament which is played every four years and begins in South Africa on June 11, Nielsen said in a survey.
Twenty-one percent said they would get information about the tournament on their mobile device and 9 percent would download an application to track the action.
“This event is the biggest in the world of sports by far,” Roger Entner, Nielsen’s senior vice president for mobile insights, said
in a telephone interview.
“In 2010, mobile is really starting to be a medium for soccer fans worldwide to connect with the game.”
The popular FIFA soccer tournament drew more than 700 million TV viewers when it was last played in 2006, including more than 120 million U.S. viewers who watched at least one minute of World Cup telecasts, Nielsen said.
While this is the first such Nielsen survey, Entner said the numbers using cellphones to follow the event will be far higher than 2006.
“The last World Cup, there was no iPhone,” he said of Apple Inc’s <AAPL.O> popular smartphone introduced in 2007.
U.S. smartphone penetration has surged to 22 percent from 3.8 percent four years ago, he said.
In France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK the rate has grown to a range of 21 percent to 36 percent from 4 percent to 10 percent in 2006.
With more powerful, faster devices and networks, those growth trends will only continue with widespread mobile video and TV
being the next step, Entner said.
Of those surveyed, 51 percent said they intend to follow the tournament, including 84 percent in Brazil, 83 percent in Argentina, 76 percent in South Korea, 75 percent in Italy and Portugal, 69 percent in Zambia and almost two-thirds of the people in China, Nielsen said.
“It’s mind blowing. It really shows how it is a global phenomenon,” Entner said.
“We see some of the highest intended usage rates actually coming out of the Middle East, Africa and the Pacific Rim.”
Countries with high planned cellphone use to access World Cup information include Venezuela (27 percent), United States (23 percent) and Brazil (21 percent), Nielsen said.
In fact, in every country in the Middle East and Africa where people were surveyed, the rate was between 22 percent and 30 percent.
“People intend to use mobile to supplement their hunger for information about the game,” Entner said. “If you can’t watch the game live, you’re going to follow it through your mobile device.”
The rates in Europe were far lower — 3 percent in soccer powers Germany and Spain — which Entner thought made sense given most of those countries were in the same time zone as the World Cup and had a higher penetration of TV sets, meaning fans could watch the game live more easily.
Finally, 34 percent of those surveyed picked Brazil as the likely Cup winner, easily outdistancing Argentina, England and Germany.
Entner is rooting for his native Germany but has picked Brazil.
The decision comes after Benin failed to secure approval for any of their home stadiums from the Confederation of African Football.
As a result, the federation opted to play its “home” fixture at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé.
The first leg of the second-round qualifier will be held in Togo on October 24, whilst the return leg will take place four days later in Nigeria on October 28.
The aggregate winner over the two legs will advance to the 2026 WAFC
Ferdinand soared to victory on Saturday, lifting an impressive 153kg to clinch gold in the women’s up to 79kg category and further cement Nigeria’s legacy in the sport.
Her remarkable feat added to Nigeria’s growing medal haul at the historic championship after Nworgu had earlier won silver in the 50kg category, whilst Ajiboye claimed bronze in the same class.
Nworgu narrowly missed gold to Venezuela’s Clara Fuentes, who edged her out for the top spot in a fiercely contested competition.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, congratulated the athletes on their outstanding performances, commending their relentless drive and patriotic spirit.
“Our athletes continue to make us proud, showing the world that Nigeria is a force to be reckoned with in para powerlifting. Their bright start in Cairo reflects the depth of talent, discipline, and dedication that define Nigerian sports,” Olopade said.
“The NSC remains steadfast in providing the necessary support to ensure our champions keep soaring.”
The 11th World Para Powerlifting Championships, taking place from October 9 to 18, 2025, marks the first-ever edition to be hosted on African soil, a milestone event highlighting the continent’s growing influence in adaptive sports.
The National Sports Commission had expressed confidence in the team’s readiness and determination to uphold Nigeria’s longstanding reputation as a force to be reckoned with in global para powerlifting.
The hosting of the championships in Cairo represents a significant moment for African para sports, providing an opportunity to showcase the continent’s growing infrastructure and commitment to disability sports.
Nigeria has established itself as one of the leading nations in para powerlifting, consistently winning medals at major international competitions, including the Paralympic Games and World Championships.
The 10-day competition has attracted top para powerlifters from across the globe, all vying for world titles in their respective weight categories.
The National Sports Commission reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Team Nigeria throughout the competition as the athletes aim for more podium finishes and continue to make the nation proud.
Nigeria’s strong start in Cairo has raised expectations that more medals will follow as the championship progresses, with several other Nigerian lifters yet to compete in their respective weight categories.
The NEC said the only intention of the suspended members of the association is to create confusion, wondering why they leverage the use of thugs to create confusion while colluding with illegal security operatives.
In a firm resolution reached by the NEC and endorsed by the National Secretariat, SWAN reaffirmed that Ms. Olatutu Oladunni and Mr. Bello Omotunde, former Chairperson and Secretary of the Lagos Chapter respectively, remain indefinitely suspended from all activities and structures of the association.
The association has consequently petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), drawing attention to what it described as a dangerous pattern of intimidation, impersonation, and misuse of security operatives by the suspended duo to disrupt peace within the Lagos sporting and journalistic community.
In the petition signed by SWAN National President, Mr. Isaiah Benjamin, and Secretary-General, Amb. Ikenna Okonkwo, the association said the suspended officials are attempting to stage an unauthorised election in Lagos on Thursday, October 9, 2025, despite prior notification of their suspension to both the Lagos State Police Command and the DSS Directorate.
SWAN recalled that during the Lagos SWAN Congress held on September 17, 2025, Ms. Oladunni mobilised more than eleven (11) police vehicles and armed operatives to a peaceful gathering of sports journalists — describing the act as “a brazen show of force, abuse of privilege, and a deliberate attempt to intimidate members.
“The so-called Lagos election is not only illegal but also an affront to the authority of the National Executive Council,” the NEC resolution stated. “The individuals behind this plot have no mandate or legitimacy to act in the name of SWAN. Their continued defiance constitutes gross misconduct and will attract further disciplinary measures.”
The association warned that any security officer or agency that lends support to the illegitimate exercise would be aiding an unlawful activity and undermining the association’s recognised constitutional order.
SWAN therefore, urged the IGP and DG DSS to restrain the suspended officials, maintain neutrality, and prevent any misuse of security institutions in matters internal to professional associations.
Reaffirming its authority, the NEC through the National Secretariat, reserves the power to supervise or approve elections in state chapters, stressing that any activity outside that structure “is null, void, and of no effect whatsoever.”
“The NEC of SWAN stands firm in defending the unity, credibility, and sanctity of the association,” the statement added. “We will not permit any act of indiscipline, impersonation, or external interference that threatens our stability and professional integrity.”
The association further assured all members nationwide of its commitment to due process, accountability, and the protection of journalists’ rights, urging them to disregard the actions of the suspended individuals and remain guided by the decisions of the National Executive Council.