2026-06-19
Bookings to watch England’s first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in pubs and bars have risen by 293%, according to hospitality technology provider Zonal, a sign of how sharply major football events can lift trade for Britain’s on-premise drinks business.
Zonal said the increase applies to reservations for England’s game against Croatia on Tuesday night, with bookings counted as those made for arrival up to two hours before kickoff. The company said demand points to a strong turnout in the on-trade despite the late 9 p.m. start.
Separate transaction analysis from Reward suggests the wider effect could extend well beyond one match. Based on spending patterns during England’s group-stage games at Euro 2024, Reward estimated that hospitality sales during this World Cup group stage could rise by 42%. UKHospitality chair Kate Nicholls said the figures show fans still want to gather in pubs and bars to watch England play and support local venues.
Nicholls said pubs are positioned to benefit throughout the tournament if England advances, adding that sales across the group stage are expected to climb by more than 40% as supporters meet for matches. Her comments reflect a broader expectation across the sector that football-driven foot traffic can translate into stronger food and drink sales, especially for beer, spirits and wine served during peak match periods.
That matters for beverage suppliers and operators because sudden spikes in bookings can affect staffing, stock planning and product mix. A sharp rise in pub attendance around high-profile fixtures may force venues to increase orders and prepare for heavier demand concentrated into a few hours, particularly for draft beer and other fast-moving drinks categories.
Another forecast points to a broader seasonal lift. Analysis from money.co.uk projected that hospitality revenue in Britain could increase by £4.2 billion between May and July, up 9.3% from a typical non-World Cup year. The estimate was based on Office for National Statistics turnover data and historical spending patterns from previous World Cup tournaments.
Other industry forecasts have been even more bullish. Access Hospitality and DesignMyNight previously projected that spending across the tournament could rise by more than 150% compared with Euro 2024, though that estimate measures a different benchmark and should not be read as directly comparable with Zonal’s booking data or Reward’s sales analysis.
Taken together, the forecasts suggest the World Cup is shaping up as an important trading period for British pubs, bars and other hospitality venues, with England’s matches acting as a key driver of consumer traffic and drinks sales.