• Now live in the Klarna app, ‘Scream For Your Team’ is an in-app game that will measure the decibels of fans’ cheers to unlock weekly prizes from Klarna merchant and leading athletic apparel company, Nike.
• New consumer research conducted by Klarna revealed that nearly half of U.S. consumers choose to cheer for women’s soccer teams as they can inspire young women and girls to follow their own athletic dreams.
• The game is a continuation of Klarna’s support of women’s soccer which includes a sponsorship of the NWSL’s Angel City FC and an ongoing partnership with ACFC players Sarah Gorden and Ali Riley, who is also the captain of the New Zealand World Cup team.

NEW YORK CITY (July 18, 2023) - Klarna, the AI powered global payments network and shopping destination, today announced the launch of a new in-app game that will reward sports fans for their fandom. Available for a limited period from July to August to coincide with the women’s world soccer championship in Australia and New Zealand, ‘Scream For Your Team’ will measure the decibels of fans’ cheers and screams and enter those who participate into a draw for the chance to win weekly prizes worth up to $500. 

The game is now accessible to all U.S. Klarna app and web browser users. Players will be instructed to scream at an indicated volume in order to shoot a soccer ball into a goal. If the player scores three goals, they will be placed in a draw for the chance to win champion-worthy prizes. The competition will run for a five-week period, offering the most passionate fans the chance to win Nike gift cards ranging from $50 to $500.

To further support women’s soccer, Klarna will be partnering with Angel City FC to give away free swag at upcoming watch parties. The first watch party will take place on July 26 at 4pm PT (USA vs. Netherlands) at The Music Center,  while other parties will follow over the course of the competition. Klarna will reward the first 500 fans at each event who pose in front of the Klarna backdrop and post on Instagram Stories tagging Klarna.

While screaming for your team pays off with Klarna, there are additional benefits to being a vocal fan. A new survey conducted by Klarna reveals that nearly 50% of respondents feel that cheering for their women’s soccer team can help inspire young women and girls to pursue their own athletic dreams, while 41% believe that vocally supporting women’s soccer helps increase visibility and awareness of the sport. Over a third (36%) of respondents shared that cheering for a women’s soccer team helps foster camaraderie and community among fans, while another 1 in 2 (45%) agreed or strongly agreed that cheering for their team inspires or motivates them. Cheering on a winning team also has proven benefits to the fans’ self esteem and life expectancy. According to a 2022 Popular Science article, regularly watching sports has been linked to fans having fewer depressive symptoms, therefore adding 10-to-12 years to one’s lifetime. 

Furthermore, the Klarna research revealed that:

• Sixty-one percent of respondents noted feeling a sense of pride when their team wins, while 40% feel overjoyed and 35% feel ecstatic. 
• Over half (53%) noted that they’ve become a fan of women’s soccer through major tournaments or events like the Women’s World Cup. 
• Notably, over half (53%) of respondents noted their attitudes towards women’s soccer have changed over the past few years. 
• Of that group, 40% stated that the change was driven due to increased media coverage and exposure, while 36% stated that the sport has become increasingly competitive and reached a higher level of performance over the past few years.  
• Watching women’s soccer is a family activity, with 60% of respondents saying that they watch games regularly with their family. However, the ability to attend live games in stadiums is still a barrier for 1 in 2 fans (50%) stating that there are no stadiums near their home city. However, almost 30% of respondents noted they are most likely to cheer or scream for their team when attending a game in person. 
• When it comes to which generation is planning to spend the most time watching the Women’s World Cup this summer, Millennials are the biggest fans (61%), followed by Gen Z (54%) and Gen X (48%). 

‘Scream for your team’ is one of several projects launched by Klarna in its efforts to help elevate women’s soccer in the U.S. and globally. In 2021, Klarna was announced as a founding partner of Los Angeles-based National Women’s Soccer League team Angel City FC. As part of the partnership, the team has collaborated on limited-edition merch collections with brands including re-inc and Suay Sew Shop, donated to local Los Angeles philanthropies alongside ACFC, and more. 

Discussing the game and Klarna’s commitment to women’s soccer, Josh van Sant, Klarna’s Head of Global Consumer Communications explained that “Klarna is on a mission to reward fans for their fandom and to support women’s soccer across the world. Women’s soccer fans are looking forward to cheering on their national teams in Australia and New Zealand this summer and we want to give them a little something extra for their unwavering support.”

The ‘Scream For Your Team’ game can be found in the ‘You’ tab within the Klarna app, which is available to download for free for both Apple and Android devices. For a full watch party schedule, visit angelcity.com/summer23. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Promotion ends at 23:59 ET on 20th August, 2023. Visit here for Official Rules.