2026-07-16
Pub and bar spending across the United Kingdom rose sharply during England’s World Cup loss to Argentina on Wednesday, according to transaction data released by the card payment provider Dojo, offering a fresh sign of how major soccer matches are lifting sales in the hospitality sector even when the home side is beaten.
Dojo said spending at pubs and bars was up 78% compared with a typical Wednesday, based on an average of the previous two Wednesdays without an England match. The company said the game produced one of the largest spending increases of the tournament so far.
The data points to a pattern familiar to bar operators during major sporting events: fans arrived early, buying accelerated in the hours before kickoff, and spending surged again during breaks in play. Dojo said purchases were already running above normal levels from the afternoon and began climbing more quickly from 5 p.m., with each 10-minute period setting a new high for the evening.
The final 10 minutes before kickoff at 7:50 p.m. were among the busiest of the night, with spending up 188% from a normal Wednesday at that time. Once the match began, spending fell back quickly. Dojo said transactions dropped from 188% above average to 109% above average in a single 10-minute window at kickoff, suggesting that customers left the bar and turned their attention to the screen.
Sales then jumped again at halftime. In the 8:50 p.m. window, spending was up 197% from a typical Wednesday, according to the company’s figures. The biggest spike came later, during the hydration break at 9:30 p.m., when spending rose 204%. Dojo linked that increase to a rush back to the bar after a tense moment in the match in which England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saved an Argentine shot.
The uplift did not end with the final whistle. Dojo said spending remained elevated late into the evening and was still up 99% at 11 p.m., indicating that many fans stayed out after the match despite England’s defeat.
The figures also showed wide differences between cities. Birmingham recorded the largest average increase in pub spending, at 206.1% above its usual Wednesday level. Liverpool followed at 159.4%, while Sheffield posted a 133.8% rise. London, which ranked first by transaction volume, saw spending increase 112.5%. Other gains included Brighton at 122.4%, Newcastle at 117.5%, Leeds at 116.5%, Bristol at 96.0%, Nottingham at 93.2% and Manchester at 76.2%.
For pub owners and drinks suppliers, those swings matter because tournament nights can reshape weekly trade in a matter of hours. A strong pre-match crowd can lift beer, cider and spirits sales well before kickoff, while halftime and stoppages often create short but intense bursts of demand that require extra staffing and stock planning behind the bar.
Charlie Ashworth, Dojo’s head of research and insights, said the numbers showed how strongly fans turned out for England and how important pubs remain as communal viewing spaces during major tournaments. He also praised hospitality workers who staffed venues throughout the competition.
Dojo based its analysis on card transactions processed at pubs and bars across Britain and compared Wednesday’s activity with a two-week Wednesday average drawn from July 8 and June 24, dates when England was not playing. Because the figures reflect card payments handled through one provider rather than total industry sales, they offer a snapshot of consumer behavior rather than a full measure of all spending across the sector.
Even so, the data adds to evidence that international soccer tournaments continue to provide a meaningful boost for Britain’s night-time economy. For many venues, especially those built around live sports trade, match nights can deliver sales levels far above an ordinary midweek service, with demand concentrated around moments when supporters have just enough time to order another round.