Visa, the Official Payment Technology Partner of FIFA World Cup 2026™, today releases new data revealing the impact of the tournament on the spending habits of the nation’s football fans.
The data, analysed by Visa’s Consulting and Analytics team, reveals a significant boost to pubs, restaurants and other hospitality businesses during the group stages of the tournament, with later kick-off times and high late-night footfall in city centres contributing to increased spending across a larger period of time.
It shows:
- Hospitality businesses in England saw an almost 15% increase in year-on-year spending from Visa cardholders during the group stage of FIFA World Cup 2026™, compared to an average weekend or weekday during the same period last year.
- The biggest increases in match day spending were seen in pubs, with a 30% increase, while restaurants also saw a 5% boost. Spending at pubs after 9pm was up by 70%.
- Food and grocery spending on match days was also up 10% compared to the same weekdays in 2025, indicating many fans are also splashing out on their at-home viewing experience.
- England’s game against Ghana on Tuesday 23rd June saw the biggest spending increase (up over 20%), as fans made the most of the later kick-off time. Spending at pubs after 9pm was up over 200% during this game.
- Across all the games in the group stages, between 11th and 28th June, grocery spending in England increased by 7%, while pub spending grew by 12%. During this period, pub spending after 9pm went up 17%.
Rob Cameron, Group Country Manager UK & Ireland, Visa said: “As a proud partner of FIFA World Cup 2026™, it’s fascinating to see the real-world impact the tournament is having across the world. Sitting at the intersection of culture, commerce and global sport, Visa recognises the power of these moments in driving participation and local impact, helping businesses and communities to benefit from increased spending and digital adoption.
“In the UK, we’re seeing how this is translating to significant increases in late-night spending, with businesses’ later opening hours rejuvenating city centres in particular. As excitement continues to build, we expect the UK’s hospitality sector to continue thriving and encourage businesses to tap into the unique opportunities that this moment brings.”
The City Breakdown
While spending from Visa cardholders has increased throughout England during the group stages, some areas are proving to be more enthusiastic spenders than others.
| City | Increased spend in pubs/bars | Increase grocery spend |
| Birmingham | 40% | 5% |
| Bristol | 40% | 5% |
| Leeds | 40% | 15% |
| Liverpool | 30% | 5% |
| Sheffield | 30% | 5% |
| London | 25% | 5% |
| Norwich | 25% | 5% |
| York | 25% | 15% |
| Newcastle | 20% | 20% |
| Nottingham | 15% | 5% |
The data indicates that pubs and bars in Birmingham are likely to see the biggest boost to their local economy throughout the tournament, while grocery sales in Newcastle region saw the biggest jump compared to the same period last year.
