Fifa World Cup: Tournament boosts pubs, with All Blacks and Warriors to aid beer sales
New Zealand pubs and breweries are reporting increased beer sales driven by the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hospitality leaders note that major sporting events are helping to boost revenue during the typically slower winter season.
Why it matters
This highlights the significant economic impact that major international sporting events have on local hospitality and retail sectors.
Pubs and bars have had a spike in activity since the start of the 2026 Fifa World Cup, while a major Kiwi brewery has registered an increase in demand throughout the tournament.
The World Cup, which comes to an end on Monday morning, has spurred a rise in beer sales to New Zealand venues for beverage company Lion, according to Sam Cunningham, its on-premise sales director.
“What we’re looking at for Lion over the six weeks, and we believe it’s heavily World Cup-driven, is our volumes have been up 4-4.5% up versus our forecast, which indicates a really strong positive sign that the World Cup’s driven good sales,” Cunningham said.
Meanwhile, Kristy Phillips, chief executive of Hospitality New Zealand, said patrons have been flocking to bars over the course of the competition.
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