How Telegram Is A Must For Football Fans
People Watching Soccer Game · Free Stock Photo
In the ever-shifting landscape of football fandom, Telegram became an integral piece of fans’ experiences, changing the way in which supporters communicated with their clubs, players, and other supporters. Having more than 700 million monthly active users in 2023, this messaging platform was quickly becoming the digital meeting place for football enthusiasts seeking real-time updates, exclusive content, and unprecedented access to the beautiful game.
Clubs all over the world have come to realise the possibility Telegram offers them, providing an upholstered hotlink to their global fanbase through the creation of immersive experiences outside of the usual interaction typical with social media. Manchester City has embraced Telegram with open arms; since launching the channel in June 2023, by early February 2024, it had secured an impressive 254 million members – a figure larger than the club’s following on X, formerly Twitter, and equal to its combined numbers on both Instagram and Facebook.
Telegram has likewise not gone unnoticed as far as sports betting is concerned. Football betting tips and prediction groups mushroomed in Telegram, promising their members insights to make better bets. While these groups operate within legal boundaries by focusing on sharing tips rather than facilitating bets directly, they have become valuable resources for fans looking to add an extra layer of excitement to their football viewing experience.
Furthermore, Telegram casinos have also been on the rise. Several casinos feature integrated sportsbooks that allow wagering on the Premier League and other leagues and different sporting events. In addition to sports betting, Telegram casinos provide a wide range of casino games such as slots, roulette, and poker. According to Charlon Muscat from Card Player, these innovative gambling platforms operate entirely through a chatbot within the Telegram messaging app, eliminating the need for traditional casino websites or standalone software.
These casinos use Telegram’s Bot API to handle all aspects of the gambling experience, from registering and account management to gameplay and support. Unique about Telegram casinos is how the processes get streamlined; one can perform registration, personality verification, check balance, and play via the support of simple menu issues inside this messenger app. It can either function as an independent casino website or as an extension of a casino brand already established itself.
And some Premier League clubs are capitalizing on the bot functionality Telegram provides. Arsenal FC has capitalized on this technology with “Robot Pires,” a chatbot named after former midfielder Robert Pires. An AI-powered assistant like this immediately shows fans the latest match information, player statistics, and behind-the-scenes videos with a touch of wit and charm. In this regard, the immediate response that the bot gives to queries from fans ensures information is at their fingertips, adding to the experience of the supporter.
Telegram has already shown that it can be more than just a platform for clubs to share information; it has evolved into a space focused on unique fan experiences and interactions. Some are experimenting with integrating Web3 technologies into the platform. For instance, digital collectables and fan tokens have been made available by various teams to incentivize and reward fans especially with special perks and rewards. These digital collectables let fans support their teams but can also earn them special content access, voting rights on certain club decisions, and real-world experiences related to meet-and-greets with players.
Fantasy football enthusiasts have also found a home on Telegram. Fanton, a fantasy football game fully integrated into the messaging app, has gained significant traction among users. With over 350,000 monthly, Fanton demonstrates the platform’s capacity to host complex, engaging football-related activities. The game lets players create virtual teams through collectable cards of leading players, earning them real performance-based points.
The versatility and ease of use are factors that make Telegram attractive to football fans. Unlike other social media, Telegram is personal and focused. Fans join groups and channels for their favourite teams, leagues, or players, creating a sense of community that transcends geographical boundaries. These digital spaces provide opportunities for supporters to discuss matches, share opinions, and celebrate victories together in real-time.
Meanwhile, the clubs are not using Telegram only as a one-way channel; they also use it as a channel to gain useful data about their fans to shape engagement. With data from user interactions, preferences, and behaviour in their channels, teams can build more personal content and offerings. An approach like this allows the clubs to keep up with the support base through better engagement with their supporters. For fans using Telegram, it gives them an opportunity to engage with their favourite club and could be in line for specialised rewards and tokens that may have not gotten elsewhere.
Clubs will start to take advantage of future innovations to enhance the fan experience. Telegram will likely incorporate VR streaming into their app in the coming years, with Premier League sides such as Liverpool and Manchester City already offering VR tours of their stadiums on their own standalone apps and services. These virtual stadium tours and immersive experiences help their global supporters feel the connection to their team as strongly as any other.
In turn, this makes the platform a real value for clubs looking to grow their international fanbases. Such multilingualism and user-friendliness have seen teams connect their sets of supporters in emerging markets where some might never catch a glimpse of their favourite team’s home stadium. It is such connectivity across borders that has reshaped the ways of experiencing football, tearing down walls to form an international community of fans.