Oxfordshire: World Cup 2026 pub sales higher than Euros 2024

Greene King saw more than 5,300 sports bookings, covering 22,000 covers for the early-morning England-Mexico match.

The chain had pubs like Jude the Obscure on Walton Street in Oxford and The Wig & Pen on George Street in Oxford open late for the game.

This number was higher than for the England-Ghana fixture in the same tournament and marks a significant increase compared to the Euro 2024 games.

Jodie Tate, Greene King’s chief operating officer, said: “What an epic game! We loved hosting so many fans who chose to watch the England v Mexico match in our pubs in the early hours of Monday morning.”

READ MORE: Oxfordshire councillors slammed for siding with ‘violent criminals’

England’s Harry Kane (centre), Declan Rice (centre left), Ollie Watkins (centre right) and team-mates celebrate after the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match at Mexico City Stadium, Mexico. (Image: Nick Potts)

Pubs reported a 67 per cent increase in sales, according to figures from Heineken UK.

This was particularly evident in food sales, which rose by 81 per cent, cider by 127 per cent, and lager by 76 per cent.

About two-thirds of the 2,400 pubs managed by Heineken UK stayed open for the round-of-16 clash, which began at 2am GMT, after a delay due to severe weather.

The busiest trading period was at the 2am kick-off, with a 4,782 per cent year-on-year increase in total sales.

Lawson Mountstevens, managing director of Heineken UK’s Star Pubs, said: “This is a brilliant reminder of why pubs matter.

READ MORE: Victorian cottage on River Thames with private mooring for sale for £3m

England fans outside the Mexico City Stadium, Mexico, after the Mexico v England FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match. (Image: James Manning)

“Even with a 2am kick-off, fans still turned out to watch the match together, creating an atmosphere you simply cannot recreate at home.”

The extended licensing hours granted for the match resulted in an 11 per cent boost in spending, according to UK Hospitality.

Kate Nicholls, chairwoman of UKHospitality, said: “Thanks to the urgent extension to licensing hours, a third of pubs chose to open their doors and the sector enjoyed an 11 per cent spending boost as a result, showing the significant demand from fans.”

The hospitality sector as a whole benefited from the early hours kick-off, with footfall on high streets across the UK increasing by nearly 150 per cent between midnight and 6am compared to the same period last year, according to MRI Software.

Regional cities saw the biggest benefits, with footfall increasing by 188.3 per cent, representing a near tripling of footfall towards pubs, bars, and other local values compared with last year.

England fans celebrate following the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match at Mexico City Stadium, Mexico. (Image: Bradley Collyer)

Footfall in market towns increased by 175.5 per cent and in historic towns by 159.9 per cent, while Greater London saw footfall increase by 114.2 per cent.

The match, which saw Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane combine to earn England a memorable 3-2 win at the Azteca Stadium, Mexico City, has set the stage for more businesses to benefit from future matches in the tournament.

England now face Norway in the quarter-final, a match that is expected to bring another boost to the hospitality sector.

Fans are anticipated to turn out in large numbers to cheer on the Three Lions, helping to sustain the current uplift in sales and footfall in pubs across the UK.