World Cup nights in could fuel £250m England spending boom

England fans are set to turn World Cup nights into sofa-side celebrations, with a long tournament run potentially generating up to £250 million in extra spending on food, drink, takeaways, retail and hospitality, according to new analysis from Novuna Finance.

A £250m tournament spending boost

Novuna’s scenario modelling suggests England reaching the knockout stages could generate £75 million to £150 million in additional tournament-linked sales, rising to £150 million to £250 million if the team reaches the semi-final or final.

The spending boost is expected to be concentrated around food, drink, takeaways, retail and hospitality, with Novuna’s survey showing that fans are budgeting more for watching at home than going to the pub.

People in England expect to spend an average of £82 each on food, drink and takeaways across the tournament, compared with £67 at the pub.

Sofa spending set to rival the pub

Late kick-off times are likely to make home viewing a bigger part of the tournament experience.
More than a third of people in England say they plan to stay up late or wake early to watch matches.

Among this group, 17% expect to spend more on takeaway food or drinks, 16% plan to watch while working, 14% expect to adjust their working hours and 12% plan to take time off the next day.

The findings suggest that while pubs and hospitality venues will still benefit from a successful England campaign, supermarkets, food retailers and delivery platforms could capture a bigger share of the tournament uplift as fans choose sofas, snacks and shared nights in over bigger nights out.

Cost pressures shape how fans celebrate

Novuna’s data suggests many households remain financially stretched, helping to explain the shift towards more affordable, home-based viewing.

One in ten people in England have struggled to keep up with living costs over the past three months, while reliance on credit for everyday essentials remains high across the country.

In the North East, nearly half of people (47%) regularly rely on credit to cover essential living costs, alongside 43% in the West Midlands and 41% in Greater London.

The findings suggest many fans are not opting out of the World Cup. Instead, they are adapting how they take part, with more people choosing lower-cost ways to enjoy the tournament at home.

Theresa Lindsay, Chief Marketing Officer at Novuna Finance, said:

“A World Cup always gives the country a lift, but this year many fans look set to swap the pub for the sofa. With later kick-offs and household budgets still under pressure, the biggest boost may come through takeaway orders and extra food and drink at home.

“For those watching from home, food and drink are likely to be the big winners. Takeaways and last-minute supermarket shops can quickly add up, meaning a strong England run could still deliver a sizeable spending boost even if more fans are cheering from the sofa.

“People still want to be part of the moment, but they are finding more affordable ways to enjoy it. For many households, this World Cup may be less about expensive nights out and more about making the most of the tournament from home.”