More than five million are avid or super fans, with nearly three in 10 super fans placing sports bets at least weekly
TORONTO, ON (September 9, 2026) – As another NFL season gets underway, new Vividata data shows football has built a substantial and highly engaged audience north of the border, with 10.5 million Canadian adults identifying as NFL fans.
Nearly half of that audience — more than 5.1 million Canadians — describe themselves as avid or super fans. And the deeper the fandom, the more the NFL experience extends beyond watching the game, into pre-game coverage, podcasts, sports talk, merchandise and sports betting.
Among NFL super fans, 29.3 per cent say they place sports bets at least weekly, compared with 18.7 per cent of NFL fans overall. Nearly one-quarter — 23.2 per cent — say the opportunity to earn money from betting is one of the reasons they follow football.
“What stands out is not simply the size of the NFL audience in Canada, but how much the relationship changes as fandom deepens,” said Pat Pellegrini, President & CEO, Vividata. “The most committed fans are watching more, consuming football content across more platforms and participating in more of the activities surrounding the sport. For media and marketers, the opportunity extends well beyond the game itself.”
Betting becomes part of the super-fan experience
Nearly three in 10 NFL super fans place sports bets every day, several times a week or once a week. They are also considerably more likely than NFL fans overall to place parlays, live bets, moneyline and point-spread bets.
While 11.1 per cent of NFL fans overall say earning money from betting motivates them to follow football, the figure more than doubles among super fans. Betting, however, remains only one part of the attraction. More than half of super fans cite the action, competition and excitement of football among their reasons for following the sport.
For super fans, the game starts before kickoff
More than two-thirds of NFL super fans typically begin watching before the scheduled start of the game. Some 37.5 per cent tune in during the pre-game show, compared with 21.1 per cent of NFL fans overall, while another 29.6 per cent begin watching a few minutes before kickoff.
That intensity continues throughout the season. NFL fans spend an average of seven hours a week following live sports while they are in season. The figure rises to 9.9 hours among super fans, with 26.6 per cent spending at least 14 hours a week following live sports.
The relationship also extends beyond live games. Among NFL super fans:
- 51.1 per cent consume pre- or post-game content;
- 37.5 per cent watch sports-related television series;
- 32.2 per cent watch sports documentaries; and
- 30.4 per cent listen to sports-related podcasts.
“The live game remains the anchor, but today’s fan relationship is much bigger than a single broadcast,” said Pellegrini. “It can start with pre-game coverage, continue through the game and then move into podcasts, social media and other sports content throughout the week. That creates a much longer and more varied window for brands trying to reach these audiences.”
TV remains the anchor, but fandom crosses platforms
Television remains the leading source of football news, highlights and scores, used by 51.9 per cent of NFL fans and 65.1 per cent of super fans. But committed fans also look elsewhere. Among super fans, 46.3 per cent use social media for football information, 35.9 per cent use sports talk programming, 33 per cent use websites and 22.2 per cent turn to podcasts.
That engagement also translates into spending. More than half of NFL fans typically purchase single-game sports tickets, rising to 58.5 per cent among super fans. NFL fans who purchase sports merchandise report spending an average of approximately $194 over the past year, increasing to approximately $226 among super fans.
The findings are from Vividata’s SCC/Sports 2026. Results are based on Canadians aged 18+ who identify as NFL fans, with fandom segments reflecting respondents’ reported level of NFL fandom.
About Vividata
Vividata is Canada’s authoritative source for insights on cross-media and consumer behaviour, delivering Unmatched Insights. Smarter Decisions. As the country’s leading provider of cross-platform audience measurement, Vividata surveys over 75,000 Canadians each year on 100,000+ variables, offering the most complete view of how people live, shop, and consume media. A not-for-profit governed by industry leaders, Vividata reinvests in innovation to provide unmatched, privacy-first insights. Its flagship SCC | Study of the Canadian Consumer is the largest syndicated study in Canada, complemented by solutions like Spatial, Relevance, and Metrica, along with specialized multicultural, sports, and brand affinity reports.
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Andrew Findlater
SELECT Public Relations
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