My Home Is (Not Always) My Castle: Advantageous and Adverse Psychological Effects of Playing at Home

The perceptions of home advantage (HA) are related to psychological perspectives that may affect players and coaches in different ways depending on whether playing at home or away. Specifically, there is consistent scientific evidence identifying superior psychological states (athlete’s emotions, mood states, personal confidence or confidence in their teams) prior to a home game and more vulnerable in away games. In addition, the analysis of choking under pressure is introduced and discussed about the positive HA and negative home disadvantage on athlete’s performances. Lastly, the importance of professionalization (better training routines based on more scientific knowledge) is discussed to explain the lesser influence of game location on athlete’s psychological states (ability to cope with stressors, resilience or mental toughness), the use of new technologies reducing referee’s bias (e.g., VAR), or the highest competitive level of elite teams.