UAE residents prefer social media and online streaming over TV broadcast for Paris 2024 Olympics

As Paris prepares to host the 2024 Olympics, latest data from YouGov shows that among UAE residents who plan to follow the event, nearly half are likely to rely on online streaming to keep up with the games (49%), closely followed by following social media updates (48%).

Slightly fewer plan to follow the games on TV (46%), while a quarter intend to watch them at a sports bar or other broadcasting venues (26%).

A fifth will stay updated through coverage in newspapers or news sites (21%), while one in ten (11%) intend to catch the action live in Paris at an Olympic venue.

Men are more likely than women to follow the Olympics via online streaming (53% men vs 39% women), while women are more likely to follow social media updates (46% vs 55%).

Among the age groups, 35-44 years old adults are most likely to follow social media updates (55%), while 55+ adults are most likely to watch the games on TV (73%).

When asked why they watch the Olympics, nearly half of UAE residents who watch the games (48%) said they do so to enjoy the spectacle and excitement of the event. Additionally, 45% watch to support their country’s athletes, while a third (34%) tune in to witness participating athletes’ feats and performances.

Three in ten of viewers (30%) watch the games to evade the feeling of missing out on a global event, while almost a quarter do so because their friends and family do so (23%).

Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The data is based on a survey of 1001 adults aged 18+ years in UAE conducted in March 2024. Data is based on a nationally representative sample of the adult population in the country. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.