World Cup Round of 16 to Generate Half a Billion for UK Economy

• 18.7 million Brits are gearing up to watch the Round of 16 drama unfold

• Fans are projected to spend £504.6m across this knockout stage

• England’s match against Mexico will trigger a £395m economic boost alone

• Total tournament retail and hospitality spend is on track to hit a £3.8bn

As the knockout stages of the tournament progress, spending increases with consumers set to spend half a billion pounds (£504.6m) in the next Round of 16, according to the latest report. 

The 2026 World Cup Spending Report from VoucherCodes.co.uk, reveals football fans are forecast to spend £383.9m with retailers, and a further £120.7m in hospitality venues across the next eight games. 

An impressive 18.7m people will be tuning into this next knockout stage, with 95% (17.7m) watching from home to see which team makes it through to the Quarter-finals. 

As a result, retail sales will outperform hospitality sales, with the majority going towards food and drink (£221.4m). As many will have already stocked up on watch-party essentials, electrical items (£59.9m), sportswear (£49.8m) and merchandise (£22.3m) will see a more modest boost in sales from the Round of 16. 

Hospitality venues are also set for an uplift in sales of £120.7m during the next eight-game stage - that’s up 16% from the previous Round of 32. Consumers will spend more than double on drinks (£80.5m) than on food (£40.2m) over the stage. 

England v Mexico

England’s next showdown against Mexico is set to boost the economy by an impressive £395m. Due to the 1am Monday morning kick-off time, 14.3m of the total 17.8m fans set to tune into the game, will be watching from home. As a result, retailers are set to benefit the most from heightened sales, as consumers spend £310.6m for this match alone. 

A further £84.4m will be spent in hospitality venues, as an impressive 3.5m people head out to local pubs and bars, making the most of the extended licenses to cheer on the Three Lions.

Moji Oshisanya, Chief Commercial Officer at VoucherCodes.co.uk, adds: “As the tournament reaches its peak, each knockout game brings higher stakes and increased consumer spending. Due to the 1am kick-off, hospitality venues looking to cash in on this summer’s World Cup action should make the most of extended licensing laws, catering to fans seeking an atmosphere for these later matches.

“With every England game potentially their last, it’s now or never for brands looking to drive purchases of last-minute merchandise or at-home watch-party essentials. Offering limited time offers or rewards can be a great incentive for consumers who may have been hesitant to spend on the World Cup, but are now eager to get in on the action.” 

Source : VoucherCodes.co.uk

Image : Freer / shutterstock / 2657999637

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