England's group-stage matches in the World Cup have been a major boost for UK pubs, which have poured 5.5 million more pints of draught beer and cider than usual, according to data from market researchers the Oxford Partnership and the Dojo payments system.
Saturday's match against Panama saw highest sales
Saturday's clash against Panama was the biggest trading occasion of the tournament so far, with more than 8 million pints served. In total, 8.6 million pints were sold in UK pubs on Saturday, about 1.1 million more than usual. Sales in UK hospitality venues were 20.9% higher than on a typical Saturday in June 2025, and 13% above average Saturday trading levels seen so far this year.
Earlier matches also drove significant pint sales
England v Croatia on 17 June generated an estimated 2 million additional pints, with sales up 55.5% versus normal trading. England v Ghana on 23 June delivered a further 2.3 million extra pints, representing a 77% uplift. Venues are expecting higher sales to continue as England progress to the knockout stage, starting with the game against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Wednesday.
Transaction spikes during matches
During Saturday's match, Dojo recorded a 31% increase in transactions during the hour covering kick-off and half-time, and a 43% spike in transactions during the hour when the full-time whistle sounded. Charlie Ashworth, the head of data and insights at Dojo, said: “England’s World Cup campaign is proving to be a real boost for hospitality businesses. We’ve now seen spending at pubs and bars remain consistently elevated across the tournament, with Saturday night’s victory over Panama delivering another surge in trade.”
Scotland fans also contributed
Scotland fans also made their own contribution during their team’s time in the tournament. Across their three group-stage fixtures against Haiti, Morocco and Brazil, Scottish pubs, bars and social clubs are estimated to have sold about 1.3 million additional pints of draught beer and cider. During the match against Brazil on Wednesday night, sales in Scottish venues were almost 99% higher than normal.
Regional variations in sales uplift
The east of England and East Midlands saw the highest uplift in sales on Saturday, with 28.4% and 25.5% growth respectively, followed by London at 23.2%. Scotland saw a much more modest uplift of 3.3%. Alison Jordan, the CEO of the Oxford Partnership, said: “The World Cup has once again demonstrated the enormous value that major sporting events bring to Britain’s hospitality industry. England’s three group games alone have generated an estimated 5.5 million additional pints for pubs across the UK, while Scotland’s fixtures have delivered a further 1.3 million additional pints north of the border.”
