Football fans are set to splurge a record £3.8 billion during the World Cup, with pubs dishing out more than 58 million pints alone. The naming of Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man England squad for the tournament has left long-suffering supporters daring to dream, despite a number of high-profile omissions. Scotland has already named its line-up.
With the football extravaganza in the US, Mexico, and Canada kicking off in less than three weeks, firms back home are hoping to net a sales bonanza. Website VoucherCodes.co.uk estimated that £3.8 billion will be spent in the UK during the 37-day tournament, depending on how far England and Scotland progress. Chancellor Rachel Reeves will have extra reason to cheer on England captain Harry Kane and the team, given what any such surge would do to the economy and her tax take.
Record Spending Forecast
This year’s forecast far exceeds the £2.75 billion spent during the 2024 Men’s Euros tournament and the £2 billion boost seen during the 2022 World Cup, which was hindered by the winter schedule. Only the 2020 Euros tournament comes close, reaching £3.52 billion, helped by pent-up football fever during the Covid-19 pandemic. That is despite fewer people expected to watch games this round because of late kick-off times. VoucherCodes.co.uk estimates 34.9 million fans in the UK will tune in to watch the tournament from homes, pubs, and restaurants throughout the five-week competition, slightly lower than 35.2 million for the last men’s Euros.
Supermarkets and Pubs to Benefit
Shops, including supermarkets, are set to enjoy the lion’s share of the World Cup spending spree, with tills ringing to the tune of an estimated £2.9 billion. But the nation’s under-pressure pubs will also get a boost, with the report suggesting hospitality will enjoy a £900 million surge in takings, with 12.4 million punters watching games in boozers, bars, and other venues. Pubs will top the list as the most popular choice, with 82% of those polled by VoucherCodes expecting to watch at least one match there.
Over the tournament, 58.5 million pints of beer are set to be guzzled by fans, equivalent to 11 Olympic-size swimming pools. A further 3.5 million pints will be flung into the air in goal celebrations. Trade body the British Beer and Pub Association reckons the World Cup could bring in £275 million for the nation’s watering holes, as the average pub pulls an extra 1,240 pints.
Emma McClarkin, BBPA boss, said: “The World Cup will be a tremendous boost for Britain’s pubs and brewers, bringing fans together in the nation’s living room to cheer on our fantastic teams. You can’t beat that electric atmosphere that only comes from fans and regulars gathering under one roof to watch the match unfold in their local, with a perfectly poured pint in hand. Pubs are the best places for community spirit and celebration, and I’d urge everyone to support their local and our teams this summer by heading to their local.”
Additional Spending Categories
The pick-me-up for pubs will be dwarfed, however, by the eye-watering £1.95 billion estimated worth of sales in supermarkets, no doubt helped by the timing of the matches. As well as groceries, the report predicts £330 million worth of new TVs and other electricals will be bought, along with £300 million on team shirts and kits, £130 million on other merchandise, and the same again on BBQs and other garden gear. The late kick-offs also risk leading to more than a few hangovers, with the survey revealing more than one in four fans would pull a sickie.
