Watching the Game, Skipping the Hospital: World Cup Matches and Cardiovascular Hospitalizations

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Brazil World Cup match days were associated with a 7.0% reduction in acute myocardial infarction hospitalizations and an 11.1% reduction in heart failure hospitalizations.

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Observational. Population: Acute myocardial infarction and heart failure. Intervention: Brazil World Cup match days vs. Non-match days within the same ± 30-day tournament window. Primary outcome: Daily acute myocardial infarction (AMI) hospitalizations (IRR 0.930, 95% CI 0.898-0.962, p=<0.001).

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Brazil World Cup match days were associated with a 7.0% reduction in acute myocardial infarction hospitalizations and an 11.1% reduction in heart failure hospitalizations. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Q: What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate whether Brazil World Cup matches are associated with changes in daily hospitalization rates for acute myocardial infarction and heart failure.

Robert Ades; Vlad Shusterman

doi:10.14740/cr2271

September 1, 2026Cardiology ResearchOpen Access

Watching the Game, Skipping the Hospital: World Cup Matches and Cardiovascular Hospitalizations

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Key result

Brazil World Cup match days linked to ~7% fewer AMI and reduced HF hospitalizations.

IRR 0.930
95% CI 0.898-0.962
P<0.001

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Why the study?

Major sporting events may acutely alter cardiovascular hospitalization patterns via changes in healthcare-seeking behavior, hospital utilization, and emotional or behavioral triggers.

Do Brazil World Cup match days reduce acute myocardial infarction and heart failure hospitalizations in the Brazilian public health system?

Key Points

To evaluate whether Brazil World Cup matches are associated with changes in daily hospitalization rates for acute myocardial infarction and heart failure.
Analyzed daily hospital admission counts for acute myocardial infarction (ICD-10 I21) and heart failure (ICD-10 I50) from the Brazilian national hospital information system (SIH-SUS) across 273 observation-days spanning ± 30-day windows around the 2014, 2018, and 2022 World Cup tournaments.
Estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) comparing 17 Brazil match days to 256 non-match days using negative binomial regression models controlling for day of the week, month, and year fixed effects.
Acute myocardial infarction admissions were 7.0% lower on Brazil match days compared to non-match days (IRR 0.930, 95% CI 0.898–0.962, P < 0.001).
Heart failure admissions were 11.1% lower on match days compared to non-match days (IRR 0.889, 95% CI 0.855–0.925, P < 0.001).
Hospitalization reductions remained significant when excluding the 2014 host tournament for both acute myocardial infarction (IRR 0.947, 95% CI 0.906–0.990, P = 0.015) and heart failure (IRR 0.900, 95% CI 0.854–0.949, P = 0.0001).

Study Design

Type

Observational

Structured PICO

Do Brazil World Cup match days reduce acute myocardial infarction and heart failure hospitalizations in the Brazilian public health system?

P

Population

Daily national counts of acute myocardial infarction and heart failure hospitalizations in Brazil over 273 observation-days during the 2014, 2018, and 2022 World Cup tournaments.

E

Exposure

Brazil national football team match days during the 2014, 2018, and 2022 FIFA World Cups (17 match days total).

C

Comparator

Non-match days within the same ± 30-day tournament windows (256 non-match days).

O

Outcome

Daily counts of acute myocardial infarction (AMI, ICD-10 I21) and heart failure (HF, ICD-10 I50) hospitalizations from the Brazilian national hospital information system (SIH-SUS).hard clinical

Main Result

Relative Risk: 0.93 (95% CI 0.898–0.962)

Absolute Event Rate: 327% vs 348%

p-value: p=<0.001

Major sporting events like the World Cup are associated with significant transient reductions in cardiovascular hospitalizations, likely reflecting altered healthcare-seeking behavior rather than a true decrease in acute cardiovascular events.

Limitations

SIH-SUS captures public-sector admissions (approximately 75% of the population), which may not fully represent privately insured patients
The analysis is ecological at the national level and cannot account for regional variation in match viewership or cardiovascular risk
The limited number of Brazil match days (17 across three tournaments) restricts statistical precision
SIH-SUS captures inpatient admissions rather than all ED encounters, limiting the ability to determine effects on symptom onset or emergency presentation
Cannot assess out-of-hospital deaths or population-level mortality
Cannot directly measure emotional arousal or stress during match broadcasts
Captures inpatient admissions rather than all ED encounters, meaning it cannot determine if match days affected symptom onset, emergency presentation, or admission decisions, nor can it assess out-of-hospital deaths

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Implication

Observational World Cup data suggest event-linked shifts in AMI/HF admissions; leaves open causal role of behavioral triggers.

Abstract

Background: Major sporting events may acutely alter patterns of cardiovascular hospitalization through changes in healthcare-seeking behavior, hospital utilization, and emotional or behavioral triggers. Brazil participated in the FIFA World Cup in 2014 (as host), 2018, and 2022, providing a unique natural experiment. Methods: We analyzed daily counts of acute myocardial infarction (AMI, ICD-10 I21) and heart failure (HF, ICD-10 I50) hospitalizations from the Brazilian national hospital information system (SIH-SUS) during three ± 30-day windows around each World Cup tournament (2014, 2018, 2022). Negative binomial regression models estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for Brazil match days versus non-match days, controlling for day of week, month, and year fixed effects. Results: On Brazil match days, AMI admissions were 7.0% lower than non-match days (IRR 0.930, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.898–0.962, P < 0.001) and HF admissions were 11.1% lower (IRR 0.889, 95% CI 0.855–0.925, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Brazil World Cup matches were associated with significant reductions in same-day AMI and HF hospitalizations. These findings highlight the potential impact of major sporting events on hospital utilization and cardiovascular care access.

Discussion

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Cite This Study

Ades et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Acute myocardial infarction and heart failure. Brazil World Cup match days vs. Non-match days within the same ± 30-day tournament window was evaluated on Daily acute myocardial infarction (AMI) hospitalizations (IRR 0.930, 95% CI 0.898-0.962, p=<0.001). Brazil World Cup match days were associated with a 7.0% reduction in acute myocardial infarction hospitalizations and an 11.1% reduction in heart failure hospitalizations.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9934cf636c6408cfa7c92d https://doi.org/10.14740/cr2271

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Watching the Game, Skipping the Hospital: World Cup Matches and Cardiovascular Hospitalizations

Figures

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Watching the Game, Skipping the Hospital: World Cup Matches and Cardiovascular Hospitalizations

Figures

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

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