Labelling a win as “seismic” has become a lazy and overused term. But not in the case of Liverpool FC’s title-clinching win over Tottenham Hotspur when scientists recorded genuine Earth-shaking seismic activity triggered by celebrations at Anfield.
Researchers from the University of Liverpool’s department of Earth, ocean and environmental sciences were on site on Sunday to measure ground movement from the crowd throughout the match when the home team won 5–1 and claimed the Premier League title for the 2024-25 season.
Using state-of-the-art seismic equipment, the same type of instrumentation used to monitor earthquake-prone regions such as Chile and Italy, the scientists captured ground motions triggered by celebrations inside the ground.
The data revealed that the 60,415-strong crowd generated real seismic activity, particularly in response to the six goals scored during the game.
The most significant tremor was caused by Alexis Mac Allister’s strike in the 24th minute, which put Liverpool 2-1 ahead. It registered a peak magnitude of 1.74.
The second-largest tremor, measuring 1.60, followed Mohamed Salah’s goal in front of the Kop in the second half. Cody Gakpo’s effort measured 1.03, the own goal from Destiny Udogie 1.35 and Luis Díaz’s initially disallowed equaliser 0.64.
The study was conducted by Dr Antoine Septier, Dr Farnaz Kamranzad, and Prof Ben Edwards.
Kamranzad said: “Who knew that football fans could generate seismic energy? This experiment shows us that science is everywhere, even hidden beneath the roar of a goal at Anfield. It is a great reminder that geoscience can capture the energy of human emotion in powerful and surprising ways.
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“Incredibly, we recorded six seismic events with equivalent Richter magnitudes from 0.7 to 1.75. These were small tremors, not strong enough to be felt in the stands, but powerful enough to leave a clear and lasting mark at Anfield. Every cheer, every celebration, leaves a trace beneath our feet, a seismic fingerprint of collective joy, written into the Earth’s memory long after the final whistle.”
Septier added: “The experiment was an exciting experience, demonstrating that science can be both engaging and accessible to the public. I hope that our work inspires a new generation of seismologists and fosters a broader appreciation for the scientific process. Moreover, I hope that showing this data will spark innovative ideas for potential applications, perhaps even to enhance the stadium experience.”
