Overview
- The peer-reviewed Scientific Reports paper analyzed Garmin data from 229 Arminia Bielefeld supporters over 12 weeks, with 194 providing data on final day and 37 completing questionnaires.
- Mean stress was 41% higher on the 2025 DFB-Pokal final day than on non-match days, rising hours before kickoff, peaking at the start, and remaining elevated after the match.
- Fans in Berlin’s Olympiastadion averaged 94 bpm compared with 79 bpm for TV viewers and 74 bpm at public viewing events, with goal moments triggering surges of up to 36%.
- Alcohol use raised heart rate by about 5.3% on average and by up to 11.7% during emotional peaks, with consumption reported by half of surveyed fans and 65% of stadium attendees.
- The authors warn that elevated heart rates combined with alcohol may increase the risk of adverse cardiac events and call for broader studies across events and populations.