WORLD CUP USA ‘94: QUARTERFINALS : Spotlight : SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE IN ’90

How consuming is soccer in countries where it is king?

Because of the time difference, Italy’s games have been played at awkward hours for Italian fans. Two started in prime time in Rome at 10 p.m., and the other three, including Saturday’s quarterfinal against Spain, in early evening when shops are open.

Yet in a country of 57 million, each of Italy’s first four games--against Ireland, Norway, Mexico and Nigeria--drew a television audience of between 22.5 million and 25 million viewers. That represents as many as 85% of TV sets in the country turned on during the games.

Impressive, but five prime-time Italian appearances in the Italia 90 Cup drew bigger audiences. The most-watched game in Italian history came that year in the penalty-kick loss to Argentina, which attracted nearly 30 million viewers and 87% of people watching television.