ATM network Link expects an extra £20 million to be withdrawn from its cash machines on Wednesday as fans watch England’s World Cup semi-final showdown against Argentina. The network predicts around £210 million will be withdrawn on the day, much of which is expected to end up in pub tills.
Previous Match Impact
Ahead of Saturday’s quarter-final against Norway, Link reported an extra £10 million withdrawn from UK cash machines. Normally, a dip in withdrawals would be expected on such a hot Saturday, but the match drove higher activity.
Graham Mott, Link’s director of strategy, said: “There are lots of variables, but judging by previous big matches and the timing of tomorrow’s match, we expect to see a 10% uplift in cash machine withdrawals meaning an extra £20 million – much of it going into pub tills. Sunday was notably quiet, possibly with many sleeping in after a late finish.”
Historical Comparison
During the England vs Croatia World Cup semi-final in 2018, Link’s ATMs dispensed £26 million more than typical. However, cash use has been declining over the long term, with contactless payments becoming more prevalent.
Mr Mott noted: “While I do not want to jinx things, it’s interesting to compare today to the last time the men won back in 1966. Back then, almost all everyday payments were made using cash. Compare that to today where cash represents about 10% of all payments and cheque use is very uncommon.”
