Retail and hospitality expenditure is predicted to hit £145 million during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Quarter Finals, which kick off on Friday (12), according to a new report.
Forecasts from the Women’s World Cup 2023 Spending Report by VoucherCodes.co.uk predict that 7.1m British supporters across the nation will tune in to the fixtures.
Of those viewers, 6m (84.5 per cent) are set to tune in from the comfort of their own homes. As the tournament is being held in Australia and New Zealand, fans are faced with early kick-off times meaning only 1.9m consumers are set to watch this stage of the competition from their local pub, bar, or restaurant.
With this in mind, retail sales will far exceed the spend levels seen in hospitality venues. Across the Quarter Final stage, customers are predicted to spend a total of £116.3m in their local supermarkets and convenience stores. Food and drink make up the dominant proportion of this expenditure at £92.9m.
On the other hand, hospitality venues are likely to see the highest number of sales they have seen throughout the tournament, with spending forecast to hit £28.8m. This is likely due to England’s game being held at 11.30am on a Saturday when more consumers are able to visit their local hospitality venue. Breaking this down further, £16.1m is estimated to be spent on drinks, and £12.8m on food.
Retailers will also see a boost in sales in other areas outside of FMCG, with consumers predicted to spend £11m on sportswear, £4.5m on electricals, £4.1m on merchandise, and £3.9m on decorations, as fans get ready to cheer on the Lionesses.
Maureen McDonagh, SVP International & Managing Director at VoucherCodes.co.uk commented: “Retailers are set to experience a busier than usual period as consumers stock up on match day essentials. Early kick-off times and the rising cost-of-living means many fans will enjoy the games from their sofas in a bid to save funds.
“Family friendly offers should be a key focus area for retailers looking to attract new customers during this period, given the family following of the Women’s game. Retailers should try to keep these offers available over the weekend, amidst a quick turnaround for the Semi Finals on Tuesday 16th August.”
