The Oxford Partnership, Dojo and Vianet’s BevMetrics noted a 174% boost in sales at 4pm before England faced DR Congo on Wednesday (1 July) in the World Cup finals while they were boosted by 353% at 11pm after England beat Croatia two weeks ago on Wednesday 17 June, according to card payment provider Dojo.
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The 5pm kick-off in the game against DR Congo was one of the strongest trading periods of the tournament because people clocked off early and headed straight to the pub.
Unlike evening fixtures that coincide more naturally with after-work socialising, a 5pm weekday kick-off presented a greater challenge for hospitality operators but the performance, according to The Oxford Partnership Market Watch, 2 July 2026 showed pubgoers were prepared to reshape their working day to watch England together in the pub.
The market watch estimated pubs served the equivalent of 6,552,490 pints of draught beer and cider during the fixture – almost 2.9m more pints than a typical July Wednesday in 2025.
Dojo’s analysis of pub and bar card transactions, measured every 10 minutes throughout the day, showed supporters began arriving well before kick-off.
At 4pm, spending was 174% higher than at the same time the previous Wednesday before peaking at 4.50pm, just 10 minutes before kick-off, when spending reached 274% above normal levels. Overall, pub spending across the day finished 45% higher than a typical Wednesday.
353% boost for Croatia match
Compared to a typical Wednesday, venue occupancy increased by 20.2% at 4pm, 12.4% at 5pm, 6.7% at 6pm, 5.8% at 7pm and 10.7% at 8pm.
Meanwhile, Dojo’s data showed that last month when England beat Croatia 4-2, spending surged by 353% on average compared to two weeks prior as fans rushed to the bar after the final whistle to celebrate England’s first win of the tournament.
Spending remained high post-match, including a 340% increase at 11.10pm as fans continued their celebrations until last orders were called.
With sales patterns showing higher levels of spend post-match compared to during the game, this suggests fans are more inclined to head to the bar to celebrate once the game has finished, rather than risk missing the action during play.
Interesting, spending increased by an average of 131% during hydration breaks with sales up by 117% at 9.20pm for the first half break in play versus an 83% boost at 9pm. During the second hydration break of the game at 10.30pm, spending surged by 224% compared to 144% at 10.20pm.
Also, overall spend increased by an average of 160% during the 30 minutes following half-time.
The market watch discovered the additional sales of 2.9m pints generated an estimated £1,131 in draught beer revenue per venue yesterday (1 July).
Even more powerful
World lager sales increased by 121.3%, followed by total lager (+96.7%), premium lager (+96.5%), world 4% lager (+90.8%), cider (+83.2%), stout (+68.9%), craft beer (+55.5%) and ale (+22.7%).
The Oxford Partnership CEO Alison Jordan said: “A 5pm weekday kick-off could easily have limited trading, but instead it produced one of the strongest midweek performances we’ve seen during the tournament.
“What’s particularly compelling is that three independent datasets tell the same story. Supporters left work early, pubs filled well before kick-off, spending surged throughout the afternoon, and that additional footfall translated into almost 2.9m extra pints sold across the UK.
“Major sporting occasions continue to provide a significant boost for hospitality but this demonstrates something even more powerful – fans are prepared to reshape their working day to experience these moments together in the pub. That’s good news for operators, suppliers and the wider hospitality sector.”
Dojo head of research and insights Charlie Ashworth said of sales last night: “England’s run in the tournament has already given Britain’s pubs a great boost, with sales up almost 78% on match days.
“Last night’s England match against DR Congo generated an increase in spend of 45%, with spend spiking by 174% higher than usual trading at 4 pm, suggesting large numbers of England fans left work early to head to the pub.
“This reinforces the strong role that these venues are playing as a community hub for World Cup fans, painting an optimistic picture for hospitality venues as they progress through the tournament.”
