Football fans are being urged not to ignore health problems, as new analysis reveals a significant drop in A&E attendances while the Three Lions are playing.
Analysis of A&E attendance data during Euro 2024 found there were just under 17,000 fewer attendances than expected during England matches across the tournament – roughly a quarter of the capacity of the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, where England kick off their World Cup campaign tonight.
In 2024, England’s group-stage opener against Serbia saw the biggest fall in attendances, with 8.8% fewer patients attending A&E than the 6-week average. The quarter-final against Switzerland (5.9%) and the final against Spain (5.7%) also saw some of the largest declines.
The data also showed attendances fell more sharply when England played at weekends, compared with midweek fixtures.
The biggest drop in attendances was in the hour before the start of the game, when services experienced an 11% drop in attendances.
But the lull during matches was followed by a spike in demand in the hours following the match, as fans spilled out of pubs and fan parks.
Hundreds more patients attended A&E in the 8 hours post-game, driven in part by a roughly 10% increase in trauma and musculoskeletal attendances; consistent with falls, assaults, and other injuries.
The biggest increase in admissions at the last Euros was between 1am and 2am, when services experienced a 6.3% rise in admissions compared to the average for that time of day.
Emma Rowland, NHS England’s National Clinical Lead for Urgent and Emergency Care, said: “We know that the World Cup is a highlight in any football fan’s calendar, but even the most die-hard supporter needs to ensure they put their health first and seek emergency treatment when they need it.
“The NHS will be available as it always is throughout the next 32 days of football action – including through extra time, penalties and beyond – so if you need care, please don’t hold off coming forward.
“Use NHS services as you would normally, dial 999 in an emergency, and otherwise use 111 or 111 online for your healthcare needs.
“Please enjoy the tournament – but not in a way that turns a great night watching England into an unnecessary trip to A&E.”