Even without Italy in the 2026 World Cup, many Italians have already chosen the Brazilian team as their favorite to support in the tournament. A survey by SWG — one of the most traditional and respected public opinion companies in Italy, founded in 1981 — and published by Gazzetta dello Sport revealed that Brazil leads the preferences of Italian fans.
Main results:
- Brazil: 1st place
- Spain: 2nd place
- Argentina: 3rd place
- France and England appear next
Curiously, 35% of those interviewed stated that they will not support any teamprobably still upset about the Azzurri’s early elimination.
Italian analysts highlighted two main reasons for this preference:
1. The great Brazilian players who shone in Italy
Names like Falcon, Zico, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, KakaCafu and many others made their mark in Serie A and won the hearts of Italian fans.
2. The huge Italian-Brazilian community
Brazil has, by far, the largest number of Italian descendants in the world: nearly 30 to 32 million of people, equivalent to approximately 15% of the Brazilian population. Therefore, for many Italians, rooting for Brazil when Italy is not in the World Cup is almost like rooting for “distant cousins”.
Until next time!
