The term football widow doesn't involve anyone's actual death. It is a term for those who have a relationship with a sports fan (often a follower of football, be it American football, soccer, rugby, Australian rules football, or other) who pays more attention to the game than to their partner during the sport's season of play.
Football widows are usually, but not always, women. Usually the "widow" has little interest in the sport themselves. The tribe grows during the World Cup, and gets a new name “World Cup widow”.
