The World Cup will provide a £2.9bn boost for British retailers with grocery sales forecast to reach £1.95bn.
Some 26.4 million people are expected to buy something during the 37-day tournament, which kicks off in Mexico on 11 June, according to a survey of 2,000 nationally representative consumers by GlobalData on behalf of VoucherCodes.co.uk.
Late match times and tight budgets will mean 22.6 million people will spend money on food and drink while watching a match at home.
Hospitality venues are predicted to take a further £898m during the men’s tournament. Drink spend is set to reach £536.1m and food a £361.9m from an estimated 12.4 million people. Football fans aged 35 to 44 are forecast to spend more than other age groups at pubs and bars.
Just over a third will opt for a Canadian, Mexican or American-inspired dish (34.5%) in honour of the host nations, rising to 64% of 25 to 34-year-olds.
Some 1.5 million people, mostly men (65%), are planning to spend a combined £325.3m on electrical items such as a new TV to watch the matches on.
Moji Oshisanya, chief commercial officer at VoucherCodes, said: “It’s been a tough start to the year for the retail industry, but the record-breaking spending figures from our 2026 World Cup Spending Report are a sure sign things are starting to look up.
“While consumers will still be cautious about their finances, the World Cup tournament brings the perfect excuse for a celebration – and it’s retailers who are set to see the lion’s share of the spend. With fans opting for budget-friendly watch parties at home, the tournament presents an ideal opportunity for retailers to give their sales a boost.
“If you’re looking for a last-minute way to capitalise on World Cup spending, affiliates could be a great solution. With the ability to set campaigns live quickly, and the option to capture consumers during both the discovery and purchase phases of their journeys, retailers can use affiliates to engage customers throughout the whole tournament.”
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