Published on
10/07/2026 - 9:37 GMT+2
The highly anticipated clash between Spain and Belgium promises high drama this Friday, but it also puts back on the table a question science has been examining for years: Can a football match trigger a heart attack? Studies suggest that the emotional stress of the most intense games can increase the risk of cardiovascular events in vulnerable people, although experts insist that football is not the cause, but a possible trigger.
Passion for football does more than just quicken the pulse. During decisive matches, heart rate, blood pressure and levels of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol rise significantly. In most healthy fans these changes are temporary and have no consequences. However, in people with existing cardiovascular disease or several risk factors, that spike in stress can be enough to bring on a heart problem.
One of the best-known studies was published after the 2006 World Cup in Germany in the 'New England Journal of Medicine' (source in Spanish). The researchers observed that on the days when the German national team played, the number of emergency admissions for heart problems rose sharply, especially during the most nerve-racking matches. The risk of suffering a cardiovascular event increased by up to 2.7 times compared with other days, a finding that turned that study into a reference point for understanding the impact of sports-related stress.
