World Cup scores for pubs in July but restaurant sales flag in the heat

England’s long run in the football World Cup helped Britain’s managed pub groups to solid sales growth in July, the new NIQ RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.

The Tracker – produced by NIQ, powered by CGA intelligence, in association with RSM – shows pubs’ like-for-like sales were up by 4.2% from the same month in 2025. Footfall was boosted by five big games for England during July, plus the semi-final and final, which sent fans flocking to pubs from hours before kick-offs. It was comfortably the highest growth recorded by the Tracker for pubs this year.

NIQ’s separate daily trading data shows how average drinks sales nearly doubled on the day of England’s semi-final with Argentina (Wednesday 15 July), with big spikes on several other matchdays. Pubs also benefited from long periods of hot weather in Britain, which packed beer gardens and terraces throughout July.

However, while the World Cup was a big plus for many pubs, it did little for hospitality venues that didn’t screen games. Restaurant groups’ sales fell by 1.0% year-on-year, following a 0.7% drop in June, as some consumers chose to drink out rather than eat out. Sales slipped by 5.0% for both bar groups and the on-the-go sector.

Across hospitality as a whole, managed groups recorded year-on-year growth of 1.4% in July. It represents the strongest month of 2026 so far, and the third-best result in the Tracker since the start of 2025. Nevertheless, growth remains below the UK’s rate of inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index. Hospitality has not secured real-terms LFL monthly growth since April 2025.

July’s results were notably stronger when new openings are factored in. Including venues that were launched in the last 12 months, the Tracker shows sales rose by 4.7% last month – a sign that many operators and investors remain confident enough to expand despite multiple trading headwinds.

For the fourth month in a row, trading in London ran ahead of the rest of the country in July. Groups’ like-for-like sales rose by 2.2% within the M25, and by 1.0% further afield.

Karl Chessell, Director - Hospitality Operators and Food, EMEA at NIQ, said: “July’s figures show the popularity and special role of pubs during big national moments like the World Cup. However, it’s clear that many sales were not incremental but taken from other occasions and channels, with fans saving their cash for big games or cutting back on meals out. Similarly, while pubs with outdoor spaces benefited from July’s weather, the exceptionally high temperatures may have kept some consumers at home or led them elsewhere. We are also seeing signs of a tightening of spending in August after the end of the World Cup, and the trading environment remains difficult.”

 Saxon Moseley, Head of Leisure and Hospitality at RSM UK, said: “Wet led pubs were the standout winner of last month’s World Cup finals, recording a significant uptick in trade at the expense of the wider hospitality industry. At a time when households remain selective about discretionary spending, people are clearly continuing to make room in their budgets for shared experiences and social occasions. For hospitality businesses, the challenge now is turning that occasional event-driven demand into regular footfall through differentiated experiences and perceived value for money. As the new Prime Minister continues to make strides in addressing the unfair tax burden on the industry and consumer confidence improves, we expect to see operators’ optimism improve as we look ahead to the latter half of 2026.”