Buzzin Bitch

Research by Europe’s largest online matchmaker, Parship, suggests that the World Cup has caused a drought in Summer dating, predicting a drop in first dates of 25% until the final on June 11th.

High numbers of both men and women have suggested that they will be putting love on the back boiler during the tournament, with 68% of  men aiming to watch all of England’s games along with other key matches and 53% of women saying they would be doing the same.

Perhaps surprisingly, female football fans are more ruthless about not missing a game: 22% of women, compared to just 12% of men, said they would prioritise football over a date, while 48% of women, compared to 58% of men, would agree to missing an important game in favour of a first date. The remaining 12% of men and 14% of women would prefer to have their cake and eat it – by suggesting a date at a venue where the game was being screened.

Happily, you can impress your date in more subtle football-related ways: 26% of men and 17% of women would see extra attraction in a date who knew the offside rule; 25% of men and 22% of women would be impressed if a date knew the names of the England team, and 34% and 27% of women would be more likely to cosy up to a date who was hosting a World Cup party, well who wouldn’t?

The survey also revealed that a staggering six out of ten first dates are now arranged online and that 39% of Parship’s members have found someone special through their dating service.