NIQ’s Daily Drinks Tracker, powered by CGA intelligence, reveals average sales in managed venues in the week to Saturday 27 June were 14.7% higher than in the equivalent period in 2025. It is by far the best performance of 2026 so far. 

Soaring temperatures across Britain meant pub gardens and bar terraces were packed for much of the week. Sales rocketed by 38.4% on Sunday 21 June as the heatwave moved in, and they were up by 8.8% the following day (Monday 22 June). 

The next day (Tuesday 23 June) brought the added boost of England’s World Cup fixture against Ghana. While the match ended in a disappointing draw, it drove millions of fans into pubs and bars, and drinks sales soared 71.8% above the same day in June 2025.

The day of England’s final game in the group stages of the World Cup (Saturday 27 June) delivered a more modest uplift of 10.0%. Footfall on this day may have been weakened by the later kick-off of this fixture, by the fact that England had already qualified for the knock-out stages, and by uncomfortably high temperatures, which kept some people away from pubs and bars. 

The heat and the World Cup both worked to the advantage of Long Alcoholic Drinks (LAD) categories. Sales of beer and cider in the last week of June rose year-on-year by 18.3% and 45.2% respectively, and soft drinks (up 18.5%) also benefited from consumers seeking refreshment. Spirits meanwhile achieved their first year-on-year growth of 2026, with sales up 1.0% thanks to the popularity of cocktails and World Cup celebrations.

The final week of June rescued a challenging month for the On-Premise. The Daily Drinks Tracker reported negative growth in the first fortnight, and sales fell by 2.5% in the third week of the month, to Saturday 20 June. Cooler weather in this week didn’t help, and sales were down year-on-year on six of the seven days. 

However, the first game of England’s World Cup, against Croatia on Wednesday 17 June, triggered a 45.1% upswing in daily sales. Scotland’s World Cup fixtures also made a major contribution to sales over three matchdays, though late-night kick-off times limited the benefits. Nationwide, beer (up 2.6%) was the only major category to achieve growth in that week. 

Rachel Weller, NIQ powered by CGA’s commercial lead, UK & Ireland, said: “Sunshine and sport are a very powerful formula for drinks sales, and they delivered the best trading days of the year for many venues and suppliers in late June. The World Cup will hopefully bring more benefits in the weeks to come, though much will depend on England’s progress and, importantly, the timing of fixtures. It’s been a tough first six months of 2026 for the hospitality sector, but the summer heat and football will hopefully be a catalyst for growth in the second half of the year.”