Does it matter if you don't both like football?

[Tiffincake]

My last partner didn't, however I know many men do. I don't support a team or go to any matches, but I will watch the World Cup, Euro etc.
However wondering if it's a dealbreaker that I'm not massively into football? It depends on the person I guess.. I know you don't have to have everything in common, but football is a way of life for many men. Has it ever been an issue for you?

I'd rather not be in a relationship with a football fanatic but it probably wouldn't be a deal breaker unless he put it over everything else. Luckily my DP is not into any sports seriously, which suits me.

We are more into video games - which I know is a deal breaker for others on here who reckon it's juvenile! Different strokes and all that, but I do prefer to have a few shared interests.

It's the opposite for us, I'm a massive football fan, DH doesn't like it at all. He will watch it with me though he doesn't understand most of it!

So not a problem. My dad, DH, DB and Dsis all football crazy, I couldn't care less. But jas never been an issue!

Coming from a footballing city, I've never liked a man who didn't like football. He doesn't have to be passionate about it, but I find men who hate it odd.

My ex loved football and it did pee me off as he constantly put it ahead of anything else. Missed the ceremony of his brothers wedding as it was Arsenal’s first home game of season, and he went to the match the day after I came home from hospital post ruptured and gangrenous appendix (surgery) leaving me with a clingy 1yr and 4yr old. Wasn’t meant to be lifting, as had full wound not keyhole due to complications. He always put football first.

I think it’s fine if both parties don’t love the same thing, but it’s not fair when someone puts a hobby above all else

DH is a big fan. Not really an issue. I go with him to about 2-3 games a season. he went with DS(2) from the age of about 7 and they still go. For some men it can be a bit difficult to give up going very regularly when DC are small, but depends on the person really.

Me too. My dad is obsessed and always has been. When I was a child he had a season ticket and went to the games with my mum's brother. It was always on in the house and when I was an adult I got really into it and was surprised just how much I'd taken in. My boys love it too and it's pretty much the only thing we do as a family. My current boyfriend doesn't like it and I find it weirdly unattractive. He tries to join in conversations which makes it even worse 😂

I auditioned men for their lack of interested in sport.

Both me and DH are footy mad. Different teams though. It's a religion in both of the cities we come from. Couldn't ever imagine being with someone who looked down their nose at me for it.

I'd say 'don't go there'. You're worried he'll 'put it before you' I'd say it's almost inevitable that you'll feel like he does.

My Ex supported a Premier League team, a local league team, & played in a friendly local team.

then there's all the 'must watch' football matches with other teams, match of the day, Sunday morning program etc etc.

I supported his commitment to each team, I'm very happy to make my own plans, be home alone etc and whilst he was very sweet when he was home & sent lovely messages & called when he was away/at games etc. it ended up feeling quite lonely. I had been travelling a lot when we met & I said I would continue to be 'doing ski seasons etc' I didn't feel like I wanted to. I didn't know anyone local to his house etc.

there were a few other things that had started to annoy me, so who knows, but the football certainly didn't help.

its very time consuming & curtailed much travel together or even days out.

I think it's fine to have different interests...as long as they don't make life miserable for one party.
Dh is a Kayak racer. I am happt to kayak on nice sunny days but I'm not ferrying him around to races and have no inerest in watching.
I'd be seriouysly turned off by anyone who was obsessed with ANY sport unless they were a professional player themselves!

I am not into football but my husband is he has a keen interest but not obsessed, we don't get each other's hobbies but it works for us as we can act like mature adults and have separate interests

DH & 3 kids are football mad. Do i care? Not at all. Its their thing. They watch it and make use of that free couple of hours as my time.

my 3 play too and they love watching them. We travel a lot watching.

Both my DH and my ex were / are totally into football - same team as well ! I couldn't give a fig about it. That has never been an issue - I'll go to grand finals etc but otherwise I do something else when the match is on.

Never really thought about it (not a football fan, DH prefers Rugby). But thinking about it.... I dont think a relationship with a season ticket holder would last. The odd game, playing themselves, checking results online etc Fine. But not having to timetable our lives around match schedules etc.

No it doesn’t matter. My dad loved sport - rugby, football, cricket, tennis, athletics you name it. My mum didn’t. They were happy together. I watched sport with my dad growing up!

DH loves football and rugby.

DP never really mentioned it, but once he found out I didn't really mind too much, he turned out to be more of a fan than I'd realised. He's got a subscription to his team's online matches and regularly listens to matches that aren't televised - plus there's a few days where whatever he's doing is timed so that he's back just before kickoff.

Doesn't bother me any more than snooker or cycling on the telly.

I like different sports, so he gets to watch football/cycling/snooker and I get to watch what I like. It works out fine.

My DH is a season ticket holder. Main issue with this is that the club isn’t local, so he’s out 7 hours per day when there is a game. Not always ideal when we have 2 young kids but we make it work. There has been a game on my birthday before and we agreee he could go to the game and take me away for the weekend instead.

It does take up a lot of time but I also want my DH to have a hobby and be happy. He also doesn’t go to pubs.

I find men who hate it odd
My current boyfriend doesn't like it and I find it weirdly unattractive

These views are stranger than any man's football obsession. Is it actually seen as some sort of symbol of masculinity? Do you really not know men who hate football, or women who love it?

According to sone on here, it's worse than marrying an adulterer.and all football fans are childish.

One particular poster says her very controlling sensible daughter in law asked two questions before getting involved with her son and one of them was "do you like football"? Allegedly, if he'd said yes then the relationship would not have progressed.

So crazy, because if he was a keen cyclist or any other hobby or sport that took many hours it was ok, but football was a no.

So, I'm not sure that MN is the place to ask for sensible answers.

But I don't see a problem.

As an example of a not sensible answer!

All football fans are boring

All the hundreds of thousands, without exception!

Find a DH like mine who has absolutely no interest in football, it's wonderful!

Massive thing in my husband's and sons life. They'll both try to talk to me about it and will get the look. They know it's a real treat if I allow it in the living room rather than the playroom.

It's not a big deal OP. You're thinking about the little things.

Mine has no interest in football but I'm a big fan, I have a season ticket to my hometown Championship club which involves travel since we're in London and my hometown is up north.

I never go to midweek games, it wouldn't be possible or fair but I do try and get to as many weekend games as possible, especially if they have an away day in London. But if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen because ultimately family does come first.

DH has his own hobby which takes up time so it's just a case of making sure we both have time for what we want to do and it isn't uneven.

Same here. Sometimes dh will prioritise a game above anything else so I go to some events/occasions without him.
That does piss me off but generally, I don't mind. I also go out for the day from time to time and he's taken care of dc. My dc are huge football fans too now plus they've played in teams for years. It's nice they have a shared hobby.