Southampton FC: Rishi Sunak's football team - but how often does he go to watch them?

Rishi Sunak and the Conservative party are headed for a potentially disastrous general election on July 4 but before all that, let’s take a look at Sunak’s involvement in the world of football.

Football is not Sunak’s preferred sport - he is predominantly a fan of cricket and horse racing. He does seem to have a fleeting interest in the sport, however - let’s take a look at how deep this interest runs.

Which football team does Rishi Sunak support?

Sunak is a fan of Southampton. He has frequently been seen in the stands at St Mary’s Stadium for big games - he was in attendance when the Saints were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 season.

He has expressed a desire to take over Southampton in the past and received a birthday card signed by the entire squad when he was 18. Additionally, his father, Yashvir, has previously been a season ticket holder at the club.

While his love for Southampton seems apparent, his grasp on current footballing affairs seems limited. Recently, a video surfaced of him asking pub-goers in Wales if they were looking forward to the Euros - only to then be informed that Wales had failed to qualify.

Did Rishi Sunak send Southampton a message when they were promoted to the Premier League?

Southampton defeated Leeds United in the 2023/24 Championship playoff final - Sunak was not in attendance at Wembley Stadium, but he nonetheless sent them a celebratory message on his official X (formerly Twitter) page.

Did Rishi Sunak play football as a youngster?

It is unclear if Sunak played football while he was young - he has never explicitly stated so or otherwise, despite claiming to be a Southampton fan in his youth.

However, a recent video of him attempting to dribble around training cones has recently surfaced [via Sky News] - his awkward technique, combined with him almost falling over at one stage, indicates that he was not the most adept of footballers during his salad days.