Scots backing Wales over England at the World Cup, poll reveals
A quarter of Scots want England to do badly at the World Cup, while only 2% say the same for Wales, according to a new poll.
Meanwhile, 40% wanted Wales to do well, while only 18% said the same about England, the YouGov poll said.
YouGov’s Head of Data Journalism Matthew Smith said there was “substantially more goodwill for the Welsh team” than there was for England.
“In stark contrast to the English side, hardly any Scots wish the Welsh team ill.”
Among England fans, there was little dislike of Wales despite sharing a group. Only 5% want Wales to do badly, 9% said they will be supporting Wales, and 35% want Wales to do well even though they are not supporting them.
Four in ten Welsh fans said they wanted the Three Lions to do well, including 17% who will be actively supporting them. However, one in six Welsh people (16%) said they want England to do badly.
A quarter of Welsh people who have no interest in football will nevertheless be supporting their national side at the World Cup, Matthew Smith said.
“While many people are generally turned off football, the World Cup has a way of stirring national pride,” he said.
“This is particularly the case in Wales this year. With the last, and only, other time the Welsh team have qualified for the World Cup being in 1958, this year’s tournament has captured the imagination of those in Wales who don’t normally care for the sport.
“As many as 24% of Welsh people who say they are “not at all” interested in football say they will be supporting the Wales team at the tournament, and another 41% want them to do well. Only 23% seem disinterested.
“By contrast, in England – whose presence at the World Cup is a much more common occurrence – there is more muted enthusiasm among those who aren’t interested in football.
“Nevertheless, one in seven of this group (14%) still say they will support the England team, and 35% want them to do well. One in three (35%) don’t care how England do.”
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Ah, so more goodwill from Wales to the England Team’s prospects than the other way around. Interesting.
Surprise,surprise more people want large,famous country to do badly as opposed to small country(which is my country) they have barely heard of.If the Maldives played cricket against India would you not wish them well.
I’ll probably tune in. As regards wanting England to do well, I’m torn. They seem like a decent, socially minded, respectful bunch of lads, who made it to a Euros final on their own talent. But then there’s the English media and a certain gobby section of “fans” that are foul. If there were a way for the England team and their decent fans to have a good World Cup, but for the England media and the rotten English fans to have a terrible one, that’s where my hopes for them lie. HOWEVER, I hope Cymru make it into the… Read more »
I’m not surprised by the Scots backing Cymru! Both nations ties go back millennia thanks to the Old men of the North. Wish they were there instead of Lloegr.
“Four in ten Welsh fans said they wanted the Three Lions to do well” Who are these fans? I have been going to watch our national team for over 20 years and I have never ever been given anything anywhere near that impression.
Using the terms Welsh and Scottish people is highly misleading. It should be people in Wales and Scotland. Almost 25% of people in Wales are English-born and are , unsurprisingly, supporting England. This applies equally to political polling and, unfortunately, to actual electoral results.
Spot on – it gives a false impression that the Welsh and English are of the same mind. Clearly carried out on purpose.
Mmmm not sure I entirely agree. My roots run as deep in our nation as anyone’s. I am completely for independence from Mordor. I loathe the English media and those ideological extremists who wrenched us out of the EU.
But I like the respect and social conscience coming out of the CURRENT English team. I KINDA wish their team well, just not against us. The first time the press are xenophobic once the tournament starts though, that may change.
Most of them live on the border (over 40% in Monmouthshire) which distorts the picture in the rest of the country.
Doesn’t mean that those born in England cannot support independence. Many do.
I think a lot of goodwill towards England at the moment is because Wales have also qualified, and so have no axe to grind.
Most people in Wales are not bothered either way about England’s prospects, according to the poll. They are probably more focused on the Wales team.
I hope Wales do very well and don’t wish England any bad luck. However, if England do win they will go on and on and on and on for bloody years. If Wales won it would probably be mentioned in “other news” only once at the end of a bulletin.
Celtic soul brothers and sisters in solidarity…!!!
If Wales had to play against England, it would be interesting to observe William’s reactions.
Cymru are playing England 🤪.
Couldn’t care less what he thinks.
I’m not convinced Scotland fans wishing Wales well and not England is a good thing. It feels like Scotland don’t regard Wales as a rival in the same way as England and wanting to wind up their main rivals. The Scots don’t really care about Wales, let us cast our minds back to them packing out Anfield, Jo Jordan and the famous handball.
If Wales became the dominant force in football in these isles for a time, which they’re getting close to, then goodwill from Scots would dry up very rapidly.
To be honest, I think most Welsh people are indifferent to England’s prospects.
I don’t wish them ill, but neither am I bothered if they do well.
Why the sudden obsession from the UK press as to who the home nations are supporting anyway?
It only started after Euro 2016. It suggests to me that they are very insecure when the other home nations are competing in a major tournament. Not a good look.