England’s group stage win over Panama was the busiest day of 2026 so far for pubs, with takings five times higher than the daily average, according to Barclays data. The relentless sunshine and World Cup fever coaxed UK consumers to spend more on beer and online shopping last month, driving a 1.9% year-on-year increase in spending in June – a marked pickup from the 0.8% recorded in May, though still below the 3% rate of consumer inflation.
Despite the splurge, most people remain pessimistic about the UK economy, the Barclays report found, based on debit and credit card transactions. Yet football fans put their worries aside at the bar: England’s draw with Ghana triggered a 244% year-on-year uplift in pub card spending, while the round of 16 victory over Mexico saw a 201.5% increase. The quarter-final win over Norway, not captured in Barclays’ data, was measured by card payments company Dojo, which recorded a 23% increase in pub takings compared with the previous Saturday. The strongest thirst was in Southampton, where full-day sales almost doubled; in Newcastle upon Tyne, they rose just 11%.
“England's World Cup run drove record pub takings and a 1.9% spending rise in June, despite economic pessimism.”
England fans also splashed the cash abroad. Spending data from Revolut showed UK customer spending in Miami was up 322% on the Saturday England beat Norway to book a semi-final spot.
With about 48 hours until the semi-final against Argentina, the British Beer and Pub Association predicted the game would lead to an extra 6m pints poured – a bigger increase than on New Year’s Eve. The Night Time Industries Association also forecast a rise in takings. Purse strings are expected to remain loose as fans gear up for Wednesday’s match.