Sales in UK hospitality venues during the 2022 FIFA World Cup are expected to drop by £44 million compared to the 2018 competition, a new report reveals, but an estimated 20 million fans will still use a hospitality venue to watch games.
The 2022 World Cup Spending Report1 by VoucherCodes.co.uk forecasts that pubs, bars, and restaurants are set to make £395 million in sales throughout the tournament – 10% less than the last World Cup (£439 million).
With the competition being held during winter for the first time ever, data shows the colder weather combined with the current cost-of-living crisis will have a big impact on hospitality sales as consumers look for cheaper ways to celebrate throughout the tournament.
Overall, £287 million is expected to be spent on drinks and £117 million on food at venues around the country, with the group stage (20th November – 2nd December) predicted to be the highest earner for bars, pubs, and restaurants. This stage of the competition is expected to generate £205.2 million in sales, while smaller sums are expected to be spent across the round of 16 (£95 million), quarter-finals (£51.5 million), semi-finals (£27.7 million) and the final match (£15.9 million). This is due to the expectation that England will only make it to the quarter-finals before being ousted from the competition.
Total predicted hospitality spend for the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Maureen McDonagh, Managing Director at VoucherCodes.co.uk commented: “After a difficult year for hospitality, it’s clear from our report that the ongoing cost-of-living crisis is going to have a huge impact on hospitality spend across the 2022 World Cup.
“The colder weather and darker nights, coupled with rising living costs, and high bar prices means consumers are less likely to want to go out to enjoy the tournament, and this is evident in our forecasts.
“However, with 20 million people still set to brave the cold weather to soak up the atmosphere in pubs and other venues, there are ways pub, bar and restaurant owners can take advantage of this greatly anticipated tournament and entice customers into their venues. Giving customers value for money has never been more important, so offering discounts on food or drink during matches will allow hospitality venues to capitalise on the excitement around the World Cup.”
