Heads up, sports fans! 43% Filipino singles want partners who share their love for sports, Bumble survey says

With the world coming together for the love of sports this competitive season, Bumble, the women-first dating app, conducted a nationwide survey* to explore the relevance of watching sports in bringing Filipino singles together. This follows insights from Bumble’s Dating Trends 2024**, which revealed that 31% of Filipino singles surveyed see a shared love of sports as a ‘must have’, be it as a player or a spectator.

Cheering on your favorite boxing athlete alongside a date, or discussing the latest Olympic challenge over drinks, could be the ultimate way to break the ice this season. According to the popular dating app, nearly half (43%) of Filipino singles look for a romantic partner with an interest in sports before deciding whether to explore a connection.

Sports as a relationship criterion

For many Filipino singles, a liking for sports can be a positive factor in the dating scene. The survey revealed that while watching sporting events together is not a dealbreaker for over a third (34%) of them, more than half (59%) find dating someone who watches sporting events a potential positive. This suggests that Filipino singles who enjoy watching sports or being active might have an advantage in the dating pool.

Interestingly, this preference for a partner who shares an interest in sports is more pronounced among Filipino men. Thirty percent of men consider it a deal breaker if their partner doesn’t watch sporting events together, whereas only 21% of women feel the same. Additionally, almost half (49%) of men prioritize finding someone with an interest in sports compared to 38% of women. This highlights that a shared interest in sports may be a more important factor for men when seeking romantic connections.

Meanwhile, millennials (61%) are slightly more likely to seek out this alignment in interests than Gen Z (58%), and they also indicated that watching sporting events together make for great dates (60%).

Why watching sporting events make for great dates

Among Filipinos who view watching sporting events together as an ideal date choice, the majority of the respondents (68%) see it as a good activity to learn about their partner’s interests and passions, while 57% find that it would help to get to know someone’s personality. Additionally, 32% consider it an effective icebreaker.

This trend aligns with Filipinos’ long-time interest in sports, as evidenced by the National Basketball Association’s revelation in 2023 that the Philippines remains the top market in terms of Facebook fans outside the US.

A match is better in pairs

The survey further suggests shared experiences can be key. While nearly a third (29%) of Filipinos watch sports with their partners because they both enjoy it, 20% of Filipino women, despite not personally enjoying sports, still see watching games together as a positive dating experience (50% of them agree it makes for great dates!).

Relationship seekers who are looking for like-minded connections can leverage Bumble, which offers Interest Badges on profiles. On the Bumble app, people can select from more than 40 sports badges, offering an easy way to start a conversation. In the Philippines, Olympics sports are gaining popularity amongst singles on Bumble as well, with Running, Football, Basketball, Badminton, Cycling, Volleyball, and Swimming being part of the top 10 most used Sports interest badge on the dating app***.

Lucille McCart, Bumble APAC Communications Director,  says: “With a new wave of women weightlifting stars, a constant stream of sports documentaries and the most significant global competition happening, sports is set to take a front seat in dating. Sports is a clear passion point among Filipinos, and we see our community starting to use the games as a topic to  bond over and make connections and get to know each other. Mutual interests are really important in a relationship, so if you are looking out for a new connection this sporting season, add your favorite sports interest badges – be it soccer, running, or swimming – onto your Bumble profile, and find matches that align with your interests!”