TikTok: The platform of choice for young football fans

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Social media platform TikTok is quickly becoming a primary service for reaching young football fans across the world.

TikTok is used to create a variety of short video clips, with millions of users engaging with content every day.

The company continues to grow at a rapid pace, with over 800 million app downloads in 2020, beating rivals such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp in the process.

Football leagues and clubs all over the world have utilised the platform to build their global brands.

Spain’s La Liga has reached 1.9 million followers in a year and a half of activity, with the demographic of this audience notably young.

“Our followers are young people (mostly part of Generation Z) from all over the world, people who want to discover content that they will not find anywhere else,” Alfredo Bermejo, director of digital strategy at La Liga, told the La Liga Newsletter.

“Everything we post is specially designed for this audience with the aim of entertaining them and creating engagement. We want them to know that following La Liga on TikTok is to consume content from the best league in the world.”

Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are the two most followed clubs on TikTok and have increased the profile of football on the service, but creating campaigns that global audiences have engaged with has been just as effective.

“We have created two of the biggest and most successful (social media) challenges in the history of TikTok,” Bermejo explained.

“Every week there are new trends that we pay attention to in order to remain an active part of the community.”

A recent initiative encouraged followers of the La Liga TikTok account to replicate the different goal celebrations of players in the competition.

Videos were posted with the hashtag #ViveLaLiga, with Bermejo revealing the campaign earned over 63 million views and trended in 21 countries.

These types of figures offered an added value for La Liga’s global partners, including Puma and Santander.

Soraya Castellanos Hidalgo, partnerships manager of TikTok in Spain, believes initiatives like this showcase where the social media platform thrives.

“Our mission is to inspire and offer our community a space for creative expression and a fun and positive experience with an enormous diversity of content,” she said.

Other La Liga content on their TikTok account is made attractive by a strong use of music, alongside an informal tone for the most part.

Bermejo explained that for the emerging young audience, all the content related to the league’s clubs, from training sessions to the way the players are dressed, is vital to make an impression.

“TikTok has allowed us to get closer to Generation Z and thus understand the tastes and preferences that these fans have today,” he stated.

“This also helps us to analyse what the fan of the future will be like.”

A new fan’s first contact with football “is likely not a 90-minute televised match, but a video with highlights and music on TikTok, or with images of player challenges during training,” Bermejo claimed.

Sevilla FC has used TikTok since June of 2019 and now has over 275,000 followers on the social media site.

The club emphasised that posts on this social network feel genuine and is a major reason why the platform is the global service of choice for a younger demographic.

“The change we’ve noticed is the way that the content published is natural, much more real and less edited, plus it is generated directly on the mobile phone,” explained the club’s social media manager, José Ángel Risco.

“Consumption is a lot quicker as the users want to see something that lasts 15 to 20 seconds maximum,” he added.

“It’s becoming a social network that also feeds other platforms such as Twitter or YouTube, especially with videos that go viral. There are differences in the tone that we don’t have on channels such as Twitter or Facebook.

“Those who follow us on TikTok are a lot younger. We’re trying to connect with users who are interested in sport and in football through a tone that isn’t as focussed on the up-to-the-minute sports news.”

TikTok continues to build on its momentum as a social media phenomenon for young people, with football fans no exception.

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How Husqvarna Is Helping Stadiums Cut Costs Without Cutting Quality

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Image Credit: Husqvarna

At a time when operational costs are rising across global sport, stadiums and football clubs are being forced to rethink one of their most overlooked expenses: turf maintenance.

From diesel consumption to labour hours, maintaining elite playing surfaces has traditionally been both resource-intensive and environmentally taxing. But new data emerging from venues like CBUS Super Stadium suggests a smarter, more sustainable model is already taking hold.

Leading that shift is Husqvarna, whose autonomous turf technology is quietly reshaping how professional venues manage their playing surfaces. Their product delivers measurable cost savings without compromising quality.

Cutting fuel consumption costs

At CBUS Super Stadium, the introduction of Husqvarna’s CEORA™ robotic mowing system has reduced diesel usage by approximately 20–30 litres per week. Over the course of a season, those savings compound into a significant reduction in both fuel spend and carbon emissions. This is particularly efficient for stadiums hosting regular fixtures and large-scale events.

CBUS Super Stadium General Manager Kristian Blundell said the robotic mower was a game-changer for the venue:

“This technology is not replacing staff but rather giving our grounds team the ability to do what they do best by helping to improve turf management processes, better manage fatigue and decrease our environmental footprint”

But the impact goes beyond fuel.

 

Time efficiency

By automating routine mowing, Husqvarna’s technology enables grounds teams to focus on higher-value maintenance tasks, from pitch recovery to detailed surface management. The result is not only greater operational efficiency but also improved turf consistency, which is an increasingly critical factor in elite football performance.

The benefits are being mirrored beyond stadium environments. At Oatlands Golf Club, Husqvarna’s autonomous mowing has delivered savings of up to 60 litres of fuel per week while freeing up staff for precision work. Quiet, round-the-clock operation also ensures surfaces are maintained without disrupting play—an advantage that translates directly to multi-use stadium settings.

Image Credit: Husqvarna

Importantly, Husqvarna’s lightweight robotic systems reduce the wear and tear typically caused by traditional heavy machinery. This not only protects the integrity of the playing surface but also reduces the need for costly repairs over time.

Football clubs navigating tight budgets at grassroots and semi-professional levels could benefit from such cost savings.

With rising energy prices, increasing sustainability expectations, and limited staffing resources, the ability to cut costs while improving performance is no longer optional. Solutions like Husqvarna’s CEORA™ are positioning clubs to operate more efficiently today, while preparing for a more environmentally accountable future.

As the sports industry continues to evolve, one thing is becoming clear: the next competitive edge may not just come from what happens on the pitch—but how it’s maintained.

FA Board of Directors Welcomes Two New Appointments

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Image credit: Lee Charlie / Shutterstock.com

Rachel Wiseman and Angela Mentis will join the FA as Directors, reflecting a continued drive within the governing body to prompt a new era for football in Australia.

 

Leading with expertise

Both Wiseman and Mentis join the FA at a time of immense change and ambition.

In February, the appointment of Martin Kugeler as CEO was symbolic of new beginnings for the industry. And now that Wiseman and Mentis are on board, the FA looks set for a defining year.

“We are pleased to welcome Rachel (Wiseman) and Angela (Mentis) to the Football Australia Board,” expressed Football Australia Chair, Anter Isaac.

“These appointments reflect a deliberate effort to strengthen the Board’s capability across commercial strategy, digital transformation, financial services and major rights environments.”

If Australian football is to progress across digital, commercial and beyond, industry experts must sit at the centre of governance.

 

Aligning experience and vision

Most recently Chief Executive Officer Member Capital at NRMA, Wiseman brings experience and knowledge in executive roles, and legal practice.

Further to overseeing the growth and diversification of NRMA since 2016, as well as leading Tabcorp Holdings Limited as General Manager, Commercial Development – International, Wiseman has past experience in the sports landscape.

As Director of Business Affairs for Fox Sports Australia between 2007 and 2024, Wiseman negotiated agreements to broadcast key sports rights. With Football Australia looking to grow its financial power and commercial strategy in the coming years, Wiseman’s knowledge aligns perfectly with the governing body’s vision.

Mentis is an industry leader in financial services, with an extensive range of skills across customer and culture transformations.

Furthermore, following more than 30 years of work spanning Australia, New Zealand, Asia, United Kingdom and USA, Mentis will help the FA with essential, high-quality leadership.

While at the National Australia Bank, Mentis led a division over 900 people across Australia, Vietnam and India. And as the first female Chief Executive Officer at the Bank of New Zealand from 2018-2021, there is no question that Mentis’ credentials and expertise will bring about significant change and organisation at the FA.

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