According to a survey released by the digital association Bitkom, over a third of Germans (38 percent) participate in online prediction games for the Football World Cup. Including all methods-both online and offline-a total of 42 percent of the German population takes part in these games surrounding the tournament. The survey also revealed that three percent of participants do not intend to watch the World Cup matches themselves.
Among the diverse ways people engage, private online rounds are particularly popular. Thirty-four percent of respondents play with friends, family, or colleagues using online tools. A smaller segment, 17 percent, utilizes commercial online providers for either prediction games or betting related to the World Cup. Nonetheless, traditional methods remain quite common, with 18 percent of Germans writing down their tips on a piece of paper.
The research, conducted by Bitkom Research on behalf of the digital association Bitkom, polled 1,004 people over the age of 16 in Germany via telephone. This survey took place between the 17th and 21st calendar week of 2026.
