The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) forecasts that pubs will sell an additional 5.5 million pints during England's World Cup quarter final clash with Norway on Saturday, providing a £27.5 million boost to the sector. The match, featuring England captain Harry Kane against Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, kicks off at 10pm, a far more convenient time than the 2am start for the previous round against Mexico.
Viewing Figures and Pub Sales
More than nine million fans watched England's 3-2 victory over Mexico on the BBC, setting a record for the largest TV audience for a live UK broadcast at that hour. The win also drove the biggest day ever for BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app. For the Norway match, discount website VoucherCodes estimates 24 million viewers will tune in. The BBPA expects pubs to sell 20.4 million pints on Saturday overall, compared to a normal 14.9 million—a 37% surge—with total takings potentially exceeding £100 million.
Industry and Fan Response
Emma McClarkin, BBPA chief executive, said: “Without doubt, the pub remains the best place for fans to come together and cheer on England which is why we expect up to 5.5 million extra pints to be sold this Saturday during the England-Norway match.” She also urged the Treasury to reduce beer duty, noting: “Both England and Norway pay some of the highest rates of beer duty in Europe, with England fans paying twelve times more than Spain. We’re asking the Government to bring permanent relief to the sector by bringing beer duty in line with the European average and implementing a meaningful draught discount.”
Landlady Dawn Slater, who runs The Garricks Head in Urmston, Greater Manchester, said the pub has been fully booked for the Norway match since Tuesday, with more than 400 fans expected inside and in the outdoor garden area.
Retail and Hospitality Bonanza
The combination of football and hot weather on a Saturday is expected to boost supermarkets and other shops. Discount supermarket Aldi predicts its biggest beer sales day of the year, with customers buying nearly two million lagers and ales, one million packs of crisps, and 430,000 pizzas. VoucherCodes estimates fans will spend £385.5 million during the quarter final, surpassing all previous World Cup matches. It expects 6.7 million people to visit pubs and bars—almost double the number for the Mexico game—and hospitality venues could see an extra £64.7 million from drink sales alone, plus £40.4 million on food. Additionally, 17.4 million people are expected to host or attend watch parties, generating £280.3 million for retailers.
Alex Lawrence from data firm Circana said: “Another rise in drinks sales is very likely this weekend as the hot weather joins forces with a Saturday night quarter-final to give retailers what could be their biggest spending increase since the tournament began four weeks ago.”
