Liverpool fans caused earth tremor. Shocking science behind their title celebrations explained

Liverpool fans celebrated the club's historic title-clinching win over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, causing a series of tremors, university scientists have revealed. Arne Slot’s side secured the club’s 20th top-flight championship on an unforgettable day, defeating Tottenham 5-1 in front of a packed Anfield stadium.

According to reports, researchers from the University’s Department of Earth, Ocean and Environmental Sciences were on site to measure ground movement from the crowd throughout the match.

Liverpool fans caused tremors

The most significant tremor was caused by Alexis Mac Allister's strike in the 24th minute, which put Liverpool 2-1 ahead and registered a peak magnitude of 1.74 on the Richter scale. A crowd of 60,000 at Anfield generated a seismic tremor of 1.60 on the Richter scale when Mohamed Salah netted Liverpool’s fourth goal, while Cody Gakpo’s third registered a magnitude of 1.03.


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Back in the lab, the team analysed the seismic signals and correlated them with specific moments of peak excitement. The data showed that the crowd of 60,415 fans created actual seismic activity, especially during the game's six goals.
The most powerful tremor came from Alexis Mac Allister’s spectacular goal in the 24th minute, which gave Liverpool a 2-1 lead. It reached a peak magnitude of 1.74 on the Richter scale.

The second-strongest tremor, registering a magnitude of 1.60, occurred after Mohamed Salah scored in front of the Kop during the second half. Other notable seismic readings included Cody Gakpo’s goal at 1.03, an own goal by Destiny Udogie at 1.35, and Luis Díaz’s initially disallowed equalizer at 0.64.

The study was carried out by Dr. Antoine Septier, Dr. Farnaz Kamranzad, and Professor Ben Edwards.

While the experiment offered an entertaining way to link science with football, the researchers emphasized the broader value of public engagement. Activities like this help highlight the importance of Earth science—its relevance ranging from green energy and sustainable development to understanding and mitigating natural hazards. Earth science plays a vital role in addressing global challenges and supporting the transition to a more sustainable future.

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Dr Antoine Septier told University of Liverpool: “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!”

Professor Ben Edwards concluded: “This experiment gave us a unique opportunity to use seismology to capture a scientific record of the magnitude of Liverpool’s historic title-clinching win.

“Much like natural seismic events, these goals produced bursts of ground-shaking, triggered by the sheer passion of Liverpool fans. Their enthusiasm was literally powerful enough to move the Earth.

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“We hope this work will inspire young people to engage with science and see Earth science as essential to building a more sustainable future.”

Dr Farnaz Kamranzad added: “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. 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!”