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Separate data showed average drinks sales nearly doubled on the day of the semi final where England battled against Argentina (Wednesday 15 July) with big spikes on a number of other match days, according to the latest NIQ RSM Hospitality Business Tracker, which tracks sales figures from managed groups.
The data showed overall like-for-like sales in pubs were up 4.2% in July, compared to the same month last year with footfall boosted by five big games for England during the period as well as the semi final and final.
The growth was the highest recorded by the tracker for pubs this year.
However, restaurant groups did not fare as well with sales dropping by 1% year on year, following a 0.7% fall in June. Furthermore, sales for both bar groups and the on-the-go sector slipped by 5%.
Looking at the hospitality industry as a whole, managed groups reported 1.4% growth in July - representing the strongest month of 2026 so far and the third best in the tracker since the start of last year.
While these are positive figures, growth remains below the UK’s rate of inflation as measured by the CPI and the overall sector has not secured real-terms like-for-like monthly growth since April 2025.
Special role
NIQ director of hospitality operators and food EMEA Karl Chessell said: “July’s figures show the popularity and special role of pubs during big national moments like the World Cup.
“However, it’s clear many sales were not incremental but take from other occasions and channels with fans saving their cash for big games or cutting back on meals out.
“Similarly, whiles pubs with outdoor spaces benefitted from July’s weather, the exceptionally high temperatures may have kept some consumers at home or led them elsewhere.
“We are also seeing signs of a tightening of spending in August after the end of the World Cup and the trading environment remains difficult.”
Last month’s results were stronger with new openings factored in, according to the tracker.
Including venues launched in the past 12 months, the data showed sales increased by 4.7% in July 2026, suggesting many operators and investors remain confident enough to expand despite ongoing economic headwinds.
The sales data for last month shows consumers are still heading out for certain occasions, according RSM UK head of leisure and hospitality Saxon Moseley.
Significant uptick
He said: “Wet-led pubs were the standout winner of last month’s World Cup, recording a significant uptick in trade at the expense of the wider hospitality industry.
“At a time when households remain selective about discretionary spending, people are clearly continuing to make room in their budgets for shared experiences and social occasions.
“For hospitality businesses, the challenge now is turning that occasional event-driven demand into regular footfall through differentiated experiences and perceived value for money.
“As the new Prime Minister continues to make strides in addressing the unfair tax burden on the industry and consumer confidence improves, we expect to see operators’ optimism improve as we look ahead to the latter half of 2026.”
This comes after figures from the latest Market Watch from The Oxford Partnership and Vianet’s BevMetrics showed total draught volumes were up 3.9% against July 2025 while the average rate of sale rose by 5.2%.
This was despite the number of operating venues dropping from 100,436 to 98,795 over the past 12 months.
Further data from Oxford Partnership found pubs saw an additional £1,891 during the World Cup period.
