England’s Semi-final match against Argentina is set to generate an additional £455m for the UK economy, according to the latest predictions.
The 2026 World Cup Spending Report by leading discount site, VoucherCodes.co.uk, forecasts 26.2 million people will tune into the match on Wednesday at 8pm, spending across both the retail and hospitality sectors.
With a place in the final in touching distance, seven million fans are expected to visit hospitality venues during England’s Semi-final match - more than any other match to date.
Hindered slightly by the midweek kick-off, hospitality spending will be more modest than in the Quarter-finals (down six per cent). Sales are set to reach £98.3m in pubs, from food (£37.8m) and drink (£60.5m).
The retail sector will benefit the most from England making it to the Semi-finals with sales for the one match predicted to reach £356.5m.
The largest share of spend will go on food and drink (£238.3m) with a further £44m on sportswear, £25m on electrical items and £20m on merchandise as consumers go all out to support the Three Lions.
Looking at the tournament stage as a whole, British businesses can expect to enjoy a boost of £563.4m across the two Semi-final games. A healthy £437m is set to be spent at retail stores while a further £126.2m will be spent at hospitality venues.
This accounts for just a small portion of the £3.8bn forecasted to be spent across the whole World Cup tournament.
Moji Oshisanya, Chief Commercial Officer at VoucherCodes.co.uk, explains, “With a maximum of only two games left to play, and the stakes higher than ever, British businesses are set for yet another major boost from England’s semi-final involvement.
"At this late stage in the competition, consumers are prioritising home watch parties and budget-conscious hospitality visits, saving their money in the hopes that England can make it all the way to the final.”