The sensors of the Educational Seismic Network in Sabadell and other Catalan towns detected ground vibrations caused by fans during the World Cup final. The CSIC has analysed the data.
The seismometers of the Educational Seismic Network, located in Sabadell, Mollet del Vallès, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Barcelona, Banyoles, Olot, and Torroella de Montgrí, clearly recorded the ground vibrations generated by the celebrations of the World Cup final. GEO3BCN-CSIC researcher Jordi Díaz was responsible for processing and disseminating the data through his social media.
“The celebrations of the World Cup final made the ground tremble (a little…) in Barcelona, as shown by the records from the seismic stations,” wrote the seismologist on his X account, where he shared the graphs of the seismic waves captured during the match.
This is not the first time that football fans have caused this phenomenon. During the semi-finals against France, the sensors in Sabadell already detected vibrations with the goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro. In the round of 16, against Portugal, an accelerometer from the National Geographic Institute in Algeciras also recorded movements after Mikel Merino's goal.
The phenomenon of vibrations induced by human activity is not limited to sports. In 2023, Taylor Swift's concerts in Seattle generated seismic activity equivalent to a magnitude 2.3 earthquake, according to seismologist Jackie Caplan-Auerbach. The singer's fans, known as Swifties, doubled the intensity of the so-called 'Beast Quake' caused by followers of the Seattle Seahawks. In 2024, the artist's concerts in Edinburgh repeated the pattern.
The data collected by the Catalan network allows for the study of how human concentrations can generate movements detectable by seismic equipment. In Sabadell, residents who experienced the final could feel the collective vibration, which is now reflected in scientific records.
The CSIC has made the data from the seismic stations available to the public, showing peaks coinciding with moments of greatest euphoria during the match. Researchers emphasise that these movements, although perceptible by instruments, do not represent any seismic risk.
For local fans, the news adds a curious fact to the celebration: they not only vibrated with excitement but literally made the ground tremble in Sabadell and other parts of Catalonia.
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