A Tale of Two Finals: PSG’s Victory Drives Mobile Peaks in Paris While Fans Log Off in Milan
New AppsFlyer data reveals how Champions League emotions played out in real-time mobile app usage across Europe
San Francisco – June 2, 2025 – As Paris Saint-Germain secured a dramatic 5-goal victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League Final, mobile app usage patterns across Europe told the emotional story of the match in real-time data. French fans celebrated with sustained social media activity, while Italian supporters showed sharp engagement drops after the final whistle, according to new research from AppsFlyer.
By analyzing app engagement minute-by-minute across major European markets during the final, AppsFlyer’s data revealed how live sporting events drive distinct second-screen behaviors that mirror fan emotions, celebrations, and disappointments. The starkest contrasts emerged between the nations of the champions and the contenders, with France demonstrating sustained celebratory engagement, while Italy’s usage patterns reflected the sting of defeat.
French fans stayed digitally engaged throughout their victory: Social media use surged 49% at halftime and remained elevated +24% at the final whistle. Sports betting showed massive reactivity with spikes of +198% and +105% on early goals, plus an 81% halftime increase. Even dating apps saw upticks during celebratory pauses, with +22% at halftime and +10% at the trophy moment.
Italian engagement told a different story: Despite strong halftime social media activity +48% and the tournament’s highest dating app spike +25% at half time, usage plummeted post-match. Social media dropped -12% after the trophy presentation, dating apps fell -9%, and food delivery crashed -55%, despite a notable +26% spike during the trophy moment itself. The drop-off reflects the low national mood among supporters.
The tale of the two cities was equally revealing. Milan recorded the single highest halftime social media spike at +53%, but saw a sharp -12% drop post-trophy reflecting true deflation. Paris fans showed more measured but sustained engagement: +30% at halftime with only a modest -3% decline after victory, reflecting ongoing celebration.
Beyond national differences, the data revealed that different app categories have distinct opportunity windows during live events. Sports betting remained highly reactive throughout the match, while dating apps saw their biggest spikes during halftime breaks across all markets – suggesting fans re-engage with personal connections during breaks in the game. Food delivery apps showed the most varied patterns, declining during intense moments but surging during celebratory periods.
AppsFlyer also looked at mobile use trends for other European countries.
United Kingdom showed steady second-screen habits with moderate social media increases (+14% halftime, +20% post-match) and pronounced betting spikes (+59% at the first goal, 30% at halftime) before the typical post-match dropoff.
Spain followed similar patterns with social media climbing +25% at halftime and maintaining 19% elevation post-match. Sports betting peaked early with a +57% spike at the second goal before declining 56% after the final whistle.
Germany remained relatively subdued across all categories, with only modest halftime engagement (+6%) and notable post-match declines (-13% at trophy, -23% overall), suggesting less emotional investment in the final.
“Live sports create unique marketing moments that don’t follow traditional digital patterns,” said Paul Wright, GM Western Europe and MENA at AppsFlyer. “Brands need to think beyond simple audience targeting and consider how different emotions and game phases create entirely different engagement opportunities across app categories.”
About the Research
AppsFlyer analyzed minute-by-minute app engagement data across social media, sports betting, dating, and food delivery categories during the Champions League Final, measuring percentage changes against baseline usage levels in each market. The analysis was based on 2.1 million app sessions tracked from 9:00 PM to midnight across the studied regions.
About AppsFlyer
AppsFlyer helps brands make good choices for their business and their customers with its advanced measurement, data analytics, deep linking, engagement, fraud protection, data clean room, and privacy-preserving technologies. Built on the idea that brands can increase customer privacy while providing exceptional experiences, AppsFlyer empowers thousands of creators and technology partners to create better, more meaningful customer relationships. To learn more, visit www.appsflyer.com.
