9.2m pints for World Cup Home Nations final

This worked out to be 300 pints on average at every pub, the market intelligence business revealed. This was an extra 136 pints compared to a typical Tuesday. England fans drank an added 151 pints and Wales scored an extra 82.

Volumes on Tuesday surpassed the prior four Tuesdays by 84%, with the overall category winners world lager seeing a 181% uplift, followed by stout which hiked 80%. Premium experienced a rise of 4% in volume sales, lager; 97%, premium lager 99& and flavoured cider 97%.

Raise a glass

This comes after research indicated the World Cup would boost hospitality’s sales​ on top of Christmas trade this winter.

The timing of this year’s FIFA World Cup has broad appeal to sports fans, with 48% of those surveyed saying they are more likely to watch a match in the pub​​​ this year as it will be shown during the festive period.

This research follows CGA Brandtrack data which showed 7.9m consumers visited pubs during the 2018 World Cup. The same data highlighted how sales peaked at up to five times the average on match days during the tournament, drawing attention to the opportunity World Cup football presents to operators.​​

Business Boost​

Pubs across the country, including the Dartford Sports Bar,​ Kent, have jumped on the chance to maximise trade.

Licensee Chris Michaelmas said: “We have had the revamp and raring to go for the new season and the World Cup. We were packed for the FA Community Shield and for the Women’s Euro final – and we were really busy throughout the tournament. We were fortunate to have all the same customers who watched it come back for the final."

With 23 screens and a pub split into four main zones, the pub hoped to capture a large World Cup audience. Its courtyard garden includes private booth seating areas with six screens available outdoors.  

Michaelmas said: “We’re planning on putting a marquee lid over the whole courtyard where we can get about 150 people in there.”