- UK consumers set to spend £3.80bn over the 2026 World Cup tournament
- 26.4 million people expected to make a retail purchase for the World Cup
- Grocery retailers to see highest sales figures with £1.95bn to be spent on food and drink
UK consumers are set to spend more during this year’s World Cup tournament than any other national tournament before hitting a grand total of £3.80bn across the hospitality and retail sectors, a new report finds.
The 2026 World Cup Spending Report, by savings site VoucherCodes.co.uk reveals football fans are forecast to spend £2.90bn at retail stores over the 39-day tournament, with 26.4 million people expected to make a purchase for at least one of the games.
Late match times and tight budgets will encourage consumers to watch the tournament from home, treating themselves to half-time snacks and watch party essentials.
When coupled with an extra 10 days of football than the previous World Cup, retail sales are expected to exceed the £1.6bn spent during the 2022 Qatar World Cup and the £2.1bn spent during the 2024 Men’s Euros – an uplift of 81 per cent and 46 per cent respectively.
Forecast 2026 World Cup Retail Spend by category
Category | Total retail spend (£m) | Total no. of spenders (m) |
Food & Drink | 1,953 | 22.6 |
Decorations | 53 | 5.1 |
Electricals | 325 | 1.5 |
Merch | 133 | 2.3 |
Sportswear | 297 | 6.0 |
Garden Furniture and Appliances e.g. BBQ’s, pizza ovens, patio furniture | 133 | 3.8 |
Other home-related items e.g. sofas | 6 | 0.8 |
Total | 2902 | 26.4 |
With the 31.2 million football fans choosing to watch the matches from home, food and drink will be the most popular purchase with spend forecast to hit £1.95bn – welcome news for supermarkets and convenience stores.
As well as food and drink, consumers will be using their spending power to create the ultimate at-home viewing experience, investing in everything from electricals (£325m) to sportswear (£297m), and merchandise (£133m) to garden furniture (£133m).
“It’s been a tough start to the year for the retail industry, but the record-breaking spending figures from our 2026 World Cup Spending Report are a sure sign things are starting to look up," said CCO Moji Oshisanya.
“While consumers will still be cautious about their finances, the World Cup tournament brings the perfect excuse for a celebration - and it’s retailers who are set to see the lion's share of the spend. With fans opting for budget-friendly watch parties at home, the tournament presents an ideal opportunity for retailers to give their sales a boost.
“If you’re looking for a last-minute way to capitalise on World Cup spending, affiliates could be a great solution. With the ability to set campaigns live quickly, and the option to capture consumers during both the discovery and purchase phases of their journeys, retailers can use affiliates to engage customers throughout the whole tournament.”