World Cup fans drink bars dry as Scotland and England supporters descend on US host cities
Football fans from Scotland and England are generating a significant sales boost for bars across the United States during the opening week of the FIFA World Cup, with some venues reporting unprecedented beer consumption. Pub operators in Boston and Dallas have scrambled to meet demand as thousands of travelling supporters pack venues ahead of key group-stage matches.
Boston publicans have been forced to secure emergency beer deliveries after Scotland supporters nearly exhausted supplies during the opening weekend of the World Cup.
According to Reuters, tens of thousands of members of Scotland’s travelling support, known as the Tartan Army, descended on the Massachusetts city following Scotland’s 1-0 victory over Haiti in their first World Cup appearance since 1998.
Billy DeCain, general manager of the Sam Adams Tap Room in central Boston, said the scale of demand was unlike anything he had experienced in more than three decades in the trade.
“I’ve been in this business for over 30 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” he told Reuters.
The venue was forced to request emergency deliveries directly from a nearby brewery after stocks ran dangerously low.
“We just about made it through. If we didn’t have those emergency deliveries it would have been a tall task,” DeCain said.
Tartan Army wins over local businesses
The economic impact has extended beyond beer sales.
Boston mayor Michelle Wu praised the Scottish supporters for their contribution to local businesses and community life during the tournament.
“The Scottish fans are the absolute best. They have been incredibly warm, they’ve been supporting our businesses, they have been getting to know our community and treating Boston as if it were another home away from home for them,” she told Reuters.
Scotland supporters have also attracted attention through organised fan events, including a march to Boston’s Fenway Park accompanied by massed bagpipe bands.
Scotland face Morocco on Friday before travelling to Miami for a meeting with Brazil.
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England supporters consume 5,000 beers in Dallas
Meanwhile, England supporters have been making headlines in Texas ahead of their opening World Cup match against Croatia.
According to CBS Texas, hundreds of fans packed The Londoner Pub in Dallas, with British media reports suggesting supporters consumed around 5,000 beers while spending approximately £30,000 during a pre-match gathering.
Images showed the venue filled with England supporters and decorated with St George’s flags as fans gathered ahead of kick-off.
Reports indicated that the pub reached maximum capacity and was forced to close earlier than expected after concerns over crowd numbers.
Dallas Police confirmed officers attended following a 911 call regarding the large gathering, although no arrests were made and police did not order supporters to leave.
World Cup boost arrives at crucial time
The scenes provide further evidence that the World Cup is delivering a much-needed lift for drinks sales.
As previously reported by the drinks business, brewers and spirits companies including AB InBev, Heineken, Molson Coors and Diageo have invested heavily in the tournament despite broader declines in alcohol consumption across key markets.
Bourcard Nesin, beverage analyst at Rabobank, previously told CNN that the tournament would provide a welcome boost for drinks producers operating in a difficult US market.
“The World Cup will increase consumption of beer, wine and spirits without question,” he said. “It’s a big boost for them at a time when they need it in a market where they need it most.”
Extended trading hours in the UK
Back in Britain, operators are also preparing for increased demand should the home nations progress through the tournament.
Pubs in England and Wales will be permitted to remain open until 1am or 2am for home nation matches from the round of 32 onwards, with many licensees hoping to replicate the strong trading performance seen during England’s run to the Euro 2022 final.
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