How to Get Your Football Fix When Matches Are Scarce

por Wosti -

Football is the most-watched sport worldwide, attracting about 3.5 billion fans yearly. Unsurprisingly, our calendar is full of match days of national and international competitions. Yet, no calendar is busy enough for diehard fans, as there are always those days when nothing is going on in the field. It doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy a good match during those days, though. Here’s what you can do to quench your football thirst and fight boredom.

Video Games

Video games never get old, just like football. The first-ever football video game was released in the late 70s and has remained one of the most popular genres since. There are two main options for those games: you can control the players in real-time or become your team's manager. 

The latest versions of Playstation and Xbox consoles have impressively realistic simulators that can keep you busy when there’s nothing “real” going on. Likewise, it’s possible to be the manager of your favourite team and draft the best players worldwide to play on your side.

Virtual Football

Virtual football games emulate real-life competitions based on accurate and updated stats of individual players and teams. It’s even possible to bet on the outcome of the events! The results are generated by complex algorithms crunching a considerable amount of data. You’ll find virtual football leagues and events on any sports betting site. 

Football-Themed Games

You can opt for football-themed games if you're not into realistic games. The options are virtually endless. There are online casino games like slots, roulette, and Live Game Shows based on football, as well as a handful of quirky video games, like Chris Kamara Street Soccer or Handball Maradona. You can evade taxes as a manager while playing Director of Football.

Real-Life Fun

Indeed, you don’t need to sit in front of a screen to have a good time with football. There are also many ways to enjoy while engaging in healthy social activities. Here’s what you can do. 

Play With Your Friends

Why not invite your friends for five aside matches? Playing football with your friends is an excellent way to keep you busy enjoying fun matches during the off-season. Besides, it’s a very healthy way to practice outdoor exercises. Indeed, time will fly by until the next big event. 

Themed Movie Nights

Those who love football and cinema may find plenty of movies to please both passions. Rotten Tomatoes has a list with over 50 titles revolving around the sport, from documentaries to dramas, animations, and movies based on actual events. There are top-rated documentaries about the lives of Pelé, Maradona, and many other legends. Still, you can also opt for feel-good and comedy movies like Bend It Like Beckham or Shaolin Football. 

Tabletop Gaming Parties

Tabletop games are an excellent way to spend time with your friends and meet new ones while scoring a few goals here and there. You can also join local competitions to add more adrenaline to your game. 

Tourism

How about spending a few days abroad visiting stadiums, guided tours, and museums? According to VisitiBritain.org, about 1.5 million visitors came to the country in 2019, driven by football-related events. You can choose a match abroad as an excuse for visiting a new country or simply visit museums and stadiums at home, as the UK has plenty of them.