174% Spike In Pub Spend At 4pm Catches Brits Leaving Work Early For Last Night’s England Game With Footfall Surging

England’s World Cup victory over DR Congo delivered another major boost for the UK’s hospitality sector, with supporters leaving work early to watch the match in pubs, driving sharp increases in spending, venue occupancy and draught beer sales across the country.

New analysis from The Oxford Partnership, Dojo and Vianet’s BevMetrics platform shows England’s 5pm kick-off prompted fans to head to pubs well before the first whistle, creating one of the strongest midweek trading performances of the year.

Unlike evening fixtures that naturally coincide with after-work socialising, a 5pm weekday kick-off presents a much greater challenge for hospitality operators. Wednesday’s trading performance suggests supporters were prepared to reshape their working day to watch England together in the pub.

The Oxford Partnership’s Market Watch estimates pubs served the equivalent of 6,552,490 pints of draught beer and cider during the fixture – almost 2.9 million more pints than a typical July Wednesday in 2025. Combined with Dojo’s payment transaction data and hospitality intelligence derived from Vianet’s national draught beer sales platform, the analysis provides one of the most comprehensive pictures yet of how England’s World Cup campaign continues to benefit the UK’s pub sector.

Spending surged before kick-off

Dojo’s analysis of pub and bar card transactions, measured every 10 minutes throughout the day, shows supporters began arriving well before kick-off.

At 4pm, spending was 174% higher than at the same time the previous Wednesday before peaking at 4:50pm, just ten minutes before kick-off, when spending reached 274% above normal levels. Overall, pub spending across the day finished 45% higher than a typical Wednesday.

The data suggests many supporters began extending the occasion from mid-afternoon, with spending already running 30% above normal by 3pm.

Pubs became more than 20% busier before the match

Oxford Partnership’s hospitality usage data reinforces Dojo’s findings, showing supporters weren’t simply spending more — they were arriving significantly earlier.

Compared with a typical Wednesday, venue occupancy increased by:
• 20.2% at 4pm
• 12.4% at 5pm
• 6.7% at 6pm
• 5.8% at 7pm
• 10.7% at 8pm

The strongest uplift came at 4pm, mirroring Dojo’s transaction data and providing compelling evidence that supporters left work early to secure a place in the pub before kick-off.

Almost 2.9 million extra pints poured

Analysis of national draught beer sales from Vianet’s BevMetrics platform, undertaken by The Oxford Partnership, shows the increase in footfall translated directly into exceptional sales.
Pubs served the equivalent of 6,552,490 pints, representing a 77.8% uplift compared with a typical July Wednesday and almost 2.9 million additional pints. On average, this generated an estimated £1,131 in draught beer revenue per venue.

World Lager once again led celebrations, increasing 121.3%, followed by Total Lager (+96.7%), Premium Lager (+96.5%), World 4% Lager (+90.8%), Cider (+83.2%), Stout (+68.9%), Craft Beer (+55.5%) and Ale (+22.7%).

Regionally, the East of England recorded the strongest growth in draught beer sales, increasing 116.2%, while London achieved the highest average sales per venue at almost 292 pints per pub, up 99.7% on a typical Wednesday.

Across England, pubs averaged 213 pints per venue, an increase of 83.7% compared with normal July Wednesday trading.

Dojo’s transaction data also showed Birmingham recorded the strongest increase in full-day pub spending, rising 126%, followed by Sheffield (+95%), London (+78%), Leeds (+74%), Brighton (+70%), Bristol (+67%) and Newcastle (+67%).

Urban pubs benefited most from England’s victory, with draught beer sales increasing 98.0%, ahead of suburban venues (+68.3%), city centres (+52.9%) and rural locations (+23.9%).

Charlie Ashworth, Head of Research and Insights at Dojo, said: “England’s run in the tournament has already given Britain’s pubs a great boost, with sales up almost 78% on match days.

Last night’s England match against DR Congo generated an increase in spend of 45%, with spend spiking by 174% higher than usual trading at 4 pm, suggesting large numbers of England fans left work early to head to the pub.

This reinforces the strong role that these venues are playing as a community hub for World Cup fans, painting an optimistic picture for hospitality venues as they progress through the tournament.”

Alison Jordan, CEO of The Oxford Partnership, said: “A 5pm weekday kick-off could easily have limited trading, but instead it produced one of the strongest midweek performances we’ve seen during the tournament. What’s particularly compelling is that three independent datasets tell the same story. Supporters left work early, pubs filled well before kick-off, spending surged throughout the afternoon, and that additional footfall translated into almost 2.9 million extra pints sold across the UK.

Major sporting occasions continue to provide a significant boost for hospitality, but this demonstrates something even more powerful – fans are prepared to reshape their working day to experience these moments together in the pub. That’s good news for operators, suppliers and the wider hospitality sector.”