- Pubs and beer companies could be set for a major sales boost as England play in World Cup semi-finals tomorrow (15 July)
- Wetherspoons’ market value has increased by £75 million since the start of the 2026 tournament
- How other quoted pub and beer companies have performed since the World Cup kicked off
Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, comments:
“Pubs and beer companies are set to be winners from the World Cup. England getting into the semi-finals is a major achievement and even the most casual of sports fans are set to watch the big match.
“Pubs could be packed across the country and that means the tills will be ringing as pints are ordered.
“It’s not just about England. The football tournament has drawn in the punters for the past five weeks as fans have soaked up the atmosphere.
A pint and a penalty shoot-out: how stocks have fared since the 2026 World Cup began
“Wetherspoons has seen the biggest share price gain since the tournament began on 11 June, rising nearly 11%. The event has helped to add £75 million to its market value in just over a month.
“The lure of cheap beer and a good spread of food will have attracted lots of sports fans, as they could have a relatively cheap night out watching World Cup matches. That’s appealing to many people if they’re watching their pennies.
“The timing of the England versus Argentina semi-final is particularly important as it is being screened at more sociable hours than some of the tournament’s previous big ties. In theory, that should convince more people to watch the match in the pub rather than at home.
“Young’s shares are up 10.4% since the 2026 World Cup kicked off. It has gone the extra mile to make the viewing experience a pleasant one, offering the ability to book tables and serving matchday feasts. It even set up a dedicated page on its website to the World Cup to help capture online traffic searching for places to watch games.
“Young’s said on 7 July that trading had benefited from tournament-related traffic. England’s success since that trading update is the icing on the cake for Young’s and other pub operators.
“According to June data from Barclays, pub transactions hit a 2026 peak on Saturday 27 June, when England faced Panama, at five times the year’s daily average. Don’t be surprised if that figure is smashed when England play Argentina.
“It’s not just the companies serving beer that are scooping up the riches. Beer suppliers will have also been raced off their feet to keep up with demand. Carlsberg and Heineken’s shares have enjoyed a decent lift since the World Cup began, and even Diageo has made headway.
“While Guinness is more synonymous with rugby than football, there will inevitably be plenty of footie fans reaching for a pint of the black stuff in the pub. Alcohol-free beer has soared in popularity and Guiness 0.0 is widely considered to be one of the tastiest in this product range, providing another boost to Diageo.
“The big story from the start of the tournament was how Scotland fans drank Boston dry as local bars ran out of beer when the country beat Haiti on 14 June. It might be no coincidence that The Boston Beer Company’s shares are down 4.4% since the start of the World Cup, perhaps as investors see a missed opportunity for the Sam Adams maker to quench the thirst of fanatical Scots.
“Elsewhere, Fuller’s already enjoyed a big share price bounce just before the tournament started, triggered by well-received full-year results and management commentary that advance World Cup bookings were ‘strong’. This means much of the good news for Fuller’s was already priced in for investors ahead of the tournament.
“Anheuser-Busch InBev is the official beer sponsor of the World Cup, so it’s surprising to see its share price lag the pack. However, the shares have had a good run this year already so it’s natural to see a dip even with World Cup fever, and the company shouldn’t be too upset.”
