The expression ‘At home even the walls help’ has been an axiom for football fans for decades. The home team was considered a priori the favorite. But is this still the case in the 21st century, where the game has become faster and players are more professional? To understand current trends and track results in real time, many fans use analytical sources and detailed statistics online football streams.
Classic advantage factors
Historically, home field advantage has rested on several pillars. These factors created a real obstacle course for the visiting team, which was difficult to overcome. The most important factors have always been considered:
- The psychological pressure that fans exert on the opponent and referee;
- The absence of a difficult travel and adjustment process;
- A well-known field: from the size to the quality of the field.
The support from the stands drove the home team forward and often influenced the decisions of the referees, who could unconsciously sympathize with the roaring stadium. This ‘twelfth man effect’ often proved decisive.
The effect of empty stadiums
The real moment of truth came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when matches were played in empty stands. Statistics collected in all major competitions proved inexorable: home advantage decreased sharply. Home team winning percentages fell, while away wins increased significantly. This proved that the fans were the most important part of the ‘magic’ of home stadiums. When the crowd noise disappeared, only a shadow of the lead remained.
New realities: why is the advantage diminishing?
After fans returned to the stadiums, the statistics did not fully return to their previous levels. Home advantage is weaker today than it was fifteen to twenty years ago. This is due to several global changes in football.
Modern reality has overturned many of the old factors:
- VAR (Video Assistant Referee System): Reduced the influence of referees’ unconscious bias in favor of the home team, making referees more objective.
- Professionalism: Modern athletes cope better with pressure, and clubs offer the most comfortable conditions for away games (charters, top hotels).
- Globalization of tactics: Playing styles have become more universal, making it easier for teams to adapt to away games.
Home advantage is therefore no longer a guarantee of success.
In summary
In conclusion, it can be said that the home advantage has not completely disappeared, but it has been transformed. From a powerful weapon it has become more of a pleasant bonus. Fan support is still important, but technological and professional development in football has made the game fairer and less dependent on geography.
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