For many people, the World Cup is a time of excitement and togetherness. Friends and families gather, and children experience the build-up at school, online and at home. But not every child experiences match days as a celebration. When domestic abuse is already present in a home, major football tournaments can bring fear, tension and uncertainty. A change in mood, alcohol use, celebration, frustration or disappointment can all become part of an atmosphere a child is trying to understand.
Football does not cause domestic abuse. Abuse is always the responsibility of the person choosing to harm, control or frighten someone else. But research shows that domestic abuse reports can rise around major football tournaments. A Lancaster University study found that domestic abuse incidents increased by 26% when the England men’s team won or drew, and by 38% when they lost. Behind every statistic is a home, a family, and a child who is seeing, hearing or feeling the effects.
“For some children, the final whistle does not mean the tension is over.”
More than a match: why some homes feel different on match days
Football, alcohol and disappointment are not the cause. Abuse is rooted in power, control and harmful choices. But major tournaments like the World Cup can intensify the atmosphere in homes where abuse is already happening. The build-up to a match may bring anxiety before anything has happened. Children may notice changes in tone, body language or routine, and become alert to what might happen if emotions rise, someone drinks more than usual, or the mood in the room changes quickly.
For some people, football is closely tied to identity, belonging and status. When emotions run high, those feelings can become another moment where control, entitlement or intimidation come to the surface. For children living with domestic abuse, safety is not only about whether violence happens in that moment. It can also mean watching, listening and trying to predict what might come next.
Behind closed doors: what children notice, carry and survive
Children affected by domestic abuse often become quick to notice changes in mood, tone or behaviour. They may stay quiet to avoid drawing attention, take themselves to another room, or become anxious around certain days or events. Some may watch the score because they know the result could affect the mood at home. Others may listen from another room, waiting to hear whether voices are getting louder. Many wait for the match to end, not because they care about the result, but because they are trying to work out what kind of evening it will become.
Adults may notice changes too: anxiety around match days, tiredness, withdrawal, sudden quietness, or a reluctance to go home. These responses are not overreactions. They are ways children learn to cope in homes where life can feel unpredictable. For some children, the tension does not end when the match is over.
Hidden in plain sight: when abuse is not always visible
Domestic abuse is often spoken about as physical violence, but it can take many forms. Under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, domestic abuse can include physical or sexual abuse, violent or threatening behaviour, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse, and psychological or emotional abuse. This means abuse may not always be obvious outside the home. It may involve intimidation, threats, humiliation, monitoring, isolation, financial control or emotional pressure. It may be loud and frightening, or quiet and calculated. For children, both can affect their sense of safety.
A child does not need to be directly harmed to be deeply affected by domestic abuse. The Domestic Abuse Act recognises children as victims in their own right when they see, hear or experience the effects of domestic abuse and are related to the person being abused or the person causing harm. That recognition must lead to support that reflects what children have seen, heard and experienced.
After the final whistle: helping children feel seen and heard
When we talk about domestic abuse during football tournaments, it is right to talk about prevention, emergency responses and safe routes to support. But children also need care after the immediate risk has passed. Fear can stay in the body. Children may continue to scan for danger, struggle to sleep, or find it difficult to trust adults. They may not have the words to explain what they have seen, heard or felt. At EdShift, we support children and young people affected by domestic abuse through creative, trauma-informed and therapeutic support.
Creative approaches can give children a safer way to express themselves. Through art, play, movement and storytelling, children can explore feelings and experiences that may be too difficult to talk about directly.
As the World Cup continues, it is important to remember that not every child will experience match days in the same way. Adults around children may notice signs that something is not right. Noticing those signs can be the first step towards helping a child feel less alone. For some children, the World Cup is not only about the excitement and drama happening on the screen. It is also part of the fear, tension and uncertainty they are trying to get through at home.