UK Pub Spend Increased 78% During England vs Argentina
Following England’s World Cup loss versus Argentina on Wednesday, new insights from card machine provider Dojo have revealed yet another boost for the UK’s hospitality sector – one of the biggest of the tournament.
Analysis of transactions at pubs and bars across the UK has found that spend increased by an average of 78% compared to a typical Wednesday, with uplift as high as 204% at certain points of the match.
Spending increased as high as 204% during England vs Argentina
Overall, the England game vs Argentina drove one of the biggest spend boosts of the tournament with spend rising 78% compared to a typical Wednesday.
Spending dropped sharply the moment kick-off arrived from +188% to +109% in a single 10-minute window – a clear sign fans were glued to the screen from the first whistle.
Half-time triggered an immediate rush back to the bar, with the 20:50 window jumping to +197%.
The biggest spike of the match: spend jumped 204% as fans rushed to calm their nerves in the hydration break at 21:30 after Pickford saved a shot on target from Argentina.
Fans started arriving hours before kick-off as Brits raced to support England
Fans started arriving well before kick-off, with spending already above average from the afternoon.
The build accelerated sharply from 17:00, with every 10-minute window setting a new high for the evening.
The final 10 minutes before kick-off (19:50) were among the busiest buying windows of the entire night – up 188% – as fans made a last-minute dash to the bar.
Spending stayed near double the typical Wednesday level well into the night
Spending uplift remained strong past the full-time whistle, still up 99% at 23:00 as fans extended their evenings. This demonstrates the positive impact the tournament is having on the UK’s night-time economy as fans are enjoying staying out despite the loss.
Birmingham saw the biggest average spending uplift, at 206%
Additionally, Dojo’s insights have revealed key city-level spend increases compared to a typical Wednesday.
| Rank (by volume) | City | Uplift vs 2-week avg |
| 1 | London | +112.5% |
| 2 | Liverpool | +159.4% |
| 3 | Manchester | +76.2% |
| 4 | Leeds | +116.5% |
| 5 | Bristol | +96.0% |
| 6 | Brighton | +122.4% |
| 7 | Birmingham | +206.1% |
| 8 | Newcastle | +117.5% |
| 9 | Nottingham | +93.2% |
| 10 | Sheffield | +133.8% |
Birmingham generated the greatest increase in pub spend, averaging 206% across the city compared to a typical Wednesday.
This was followed by Liverpool in second, with an average increase of 159%, and Sheffield in third, with spend increasing by an average of 133%.
Charlie Ashworth, Head of Research and Insights at Dojo, comments:
“England fans got out and supported in a way we’ve never seen before – the data speaks for itself. This was a massive boost for pubs and bars up and down the country, and a real testament to what these venues mean to people when the big occasions come around.
“But we also want to say a huge thank you to every single person who worked behind the bars throughout this tournament. They’ve played an absolute blinder – serving fans night after night, keeping the atmosphere going, and making sure everyone had a night to remember. They deserve enormous credit for that.”