Football fans have been heading to the pub to cheer on their favourite team with beer sales receiving a boost and 15million pints expected to be drank on Sunday when England face Senegal in the knockout stages; 5 million more than usual, delivering an additional £22 million to the industry.
Ahead of the tournament, a survey conducted by the British Beer and Pub Association showed pubs expected the World Cup to boost business by up to 10%.
However, mid-week games have delivered more than expected in some cases, with England’s first group game against Iran packing out pubs on a usually quiet day, with a 62% uplift in beer sales according to data consultancy CGA Insight, the equivalent of 3 million more pints worth almost £12million.
Now, as England head into their first knockout game of the tournament this Sunday, pubs across the country will be holding their breath and hoping for a win to help celebrations continue over the coming weeks.
Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said: “Pubs were hoping for a boost to business during this World Cup and so far, the beer has been flowing, and fans have been showing up to cheer on England. The tournament has been filling up pubs on days that otherwise might be quieter, and we’re hoping that trend continues in the next couple of weeks.
“It’s been a tough year for our industry, and we know people are feeling the pinch but we’re really hoping fans continue to turn out to support two great British institutions by toasting to the Three Lions at their local pub. We’ll be keeping everything crossed this Sunday because when England do well, so do our pubs!”