Home advantage in soccer: a review of its existence and causes
Year: 2005
Type: article
Abstract: Although the existence of the home advantage is well known in soccer, the reasons and causes of this advantage are far from clear. In a competitive league with a balanced schedule, home advantage can be quantified as the number of points gained by home teams expressed as a percentage of all points gained, home and away. There is wide variation in the national leagues in Europe; home advantage is greatest throughout the Balkans and lowest in the three Baltic countries. In England it is very similar for the top 4 divisions of play. Below this level, the advantage is reduced but still exists even with very small crowds. It has been in existence since the start of league play in the 19th century in England, but has recently fallen to its lowest levels. Home advantage is lower in the knock-out F.A. Cup competition, especially in the quarter-final stage where it ceases to exist. It is higher in European competition when the criterion for success is total goals rather than points. A review of the evidence for the hypothesized causes of home advantage is made. Crowd support is likely to be a major factor but the precise way in which it produces a home advantage has not been established. There is evidence that the noise of a home crowd is a cause of referee bias. The effects of travel do not seem great. Familiarity with local conditions is a plausible cause, but difficult to establish, as are other psychological factors. Territoriality and specific playing tactics have been suggested as other possible influences. It is likely that home advantage results from a complex interaction of all these causes, a model for which is proposed
Source: Americanae (AECID Library)
Authors: Richard Pollard, Gregory Pollard
Language: English
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2183021670