Economic Impact of England vs Norway Quarter-Final
As England prepares to face Norway on Saturday, sales of pints, takeaways, and new televisions continue to rise sharply. The quarter-final match is anticipated to generate a multimillion-pound revenue boost for venues broadcasting the game, ranging from intimate Norwegian pubs to outdoor fan zones filled with enthusiastic England supporters.
Estimates suggest the quarter-finals will collectively contribute nearly half a billion pounds in increased sales to the wider UK economy. Fans are expected to consume 9.3 million pints, order numerous takeaways, and purchase new TVs in preparation for the matches.
Ticketed watch parties are among the biggest beneficiaries, with many venues reporting sell-outs within hours of the conclusion of the last 16 round.
While outdoor fan zones are typically associated with celebratory beer showers, the Kenton Arms in London is more likely to be splashed with Akevitt, a traditional Norwegian spirit made from potatoes and flavored with caraway and dill.
“I think it’ll be a majority of Norwegians, maybe 70:30 or 80:20,” said Egil Johansen, who has managed the pub—a social hub for London’s Norwegian community—for 17 years.
“I really wanted to make sure that we get a proper Norwegian vibe in here, which we have had so far,” he added.
“On Sunday against Brazil we reached our capacity of 200 about one hour before kick-off and had to stop entry. It’s 100% an extra boost for us this year.”
Hospitality Sector Sales Surge
The tournament has already significantly benefited the hospitality sector, with pub sales rising by 77% on matchdays compared to a typical Tuesday, according to trade body UKHospitality.
On Saturday, the sector is projected to generate £27.5 million from pouring an additional 5.5 million pints, stated the British Beer & Pubs Association (BBPA).
Many fans are also expected to attend outdoor screenings. Live broadcasts on BBC and ITV frequently show fans celebrating or reacting at open-air venues, such as those operated by Boxpark in London and Liverpool.
Matt Snell, chief executive of the street food and entertainment pop-up company, said each match could generate £500,000 in ticket, drink, and food sales.
“If we reach the final, it’ll be as big as Christmas and the whole month of December for us,” he said.
“We had 2,000 people at [Boxpark] Wembley at 4am for the Mexico game on Monday. Tickets for the quarter-final went live at 5am and by lunchtime they’d sold out.”
He noted that drink sales have not matched previous tournaments due to unsociable kickoff times, but England’s continued success has led to projected sales exceeding expectations.
“We [budgeted for] the last 16 so everything now is a bonus for us,” he added.
Indoor Venues Capitalizing on the Tournament
While many fans prefer outdoor viewing during the sunny weather, indoor venues are also benefiting. Cinema chains including Vue and Picturehouse are advertising tickets to watch the game alongside summer blockbusters such as Disclosure Day and The Odyssey.
The Co-op Live venue in Manchester, partially owned by the proprietors of Manchester City, will host the game at its 2,000-capacity Vertu Place fanzone. This will be the first international game shown at the venue.
A spokesperson confirmed that the £10-per-ticket event sold out within 48 hours.
Projected Sales Increase Across UK Economy
Research from analysis firm GlobalData, commissioned by VoucherCodes.co.uk, projects an overall sales uplift of £493.6 million across the UK economy during the quarter-finals.
Of this total, £385 million is expected to be linked to the England-Norway match, with £280 million attributed to retailers and £105 million to hospitality.
Anticipation for the match has driven increased sales of large televisions as households prepare for home viewing.
Online electrical retailer AO.com reported a 23% year-on-year increase in TV sales throughout June, with demand rising as England advances in the tournament.
Takeaway and Delivery Services Experience Surge
Fans watching at home have also contributed to increased demand for delivery services and takeaways.
Overnight orders on Deliveroo nearly doubled compared to the same unsociable period the previous week during the England-Mexico match in the early hours of Monday. In the two hours before kickoff, orders for sparkling wine and popcorn nearly tripled, while coffee orders doubled. At 4am, as the final whistle blew, pizza and burger orders tripled.
Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket, reported a surge in orders via its quick delivery service Whoosh during the Mexico game, with peak demand between 1pm and 3pm as customers stocked up ahead of the match. The service extended its hours until midnight to accommodate additional orders.
Whoosh recorded one of its busiest days ever, with ice cream sales increasing by 64%, large bags of crisps and snacks up 45%, and lager rising 44%.
Data from mobile operator O2 indicated increased online streaming and takeaway orders, with food delivery app traffic rising 169% before kickoff and traffic reaching 24,581% above normal at 4am as fans tuned in to catch the final whistle.
The data also revealed a trend towards watch parties, whether in pubs, bars, or homes, with private vehicle hire app Uber experiencing a 192.6% spike in traffic after full-time.
