Retail Occasions Series: UK World Cup 2026
Summary
The World Cup 2026 report forms part of the analyst's Retail Occasions series, and offers a comprehensive insight into the consumer dynamics and spending habits of UK consumers during the World Cup 2026. The report analyses the market, the main trends, and consumer attitudesBoth viewership and positive sentiment toward the event rose in 2026 versus 2022, translating into higher participation and stronger purchase intent for occasion‑related items. The 2026 World Cup also showed a greater shift toward at‑home celebrations, partly driven by later kick‑off times, leading to increased purchasing of food and drink, decorations, and dress‑up merchandise.
Scope
- World Cup viewing penetration rose on 2022
- Later kick-off times in 2026 contributed to more home viewing
- Alcoholic drinks were a popular purchase among World Cup food & drink shoppers
Reasons to Buy
- Identify the key retailers used by consumers to purchase products for the World Cup across various categories, and what drives consumers to shop with these retailers
- Understand the most appealing categories shopped for for the World Cup by consumers in 2026
- Understand which channels are the most popular among consumers when shopping for products for the World Cup
Table of Contents
- Trend insight - stores
- Trend insight - online
- CONSUMER ATTITUDES
- Buying dynamics
- World Cup viewing penetration
- World Cup shopper penetration
- World Cup shopper profile
- World Cup retail shopper penetration
- World Cup leisure shopper penetration
- Financial wellbeing
- Financing occasion spending
- World Cup spending on retail and leisure
- World Cup activities
- Meal choices
- Takeaway cuisines
- Dining in choices
- World Cup statements
- Retailer promotions
- Retailer ratings - grocers
- Retailer ratings - non-food retailers
- FOOD & DRINK
- Buying dynamics
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Spending
- Buying dynamics
- Planned/impulse purchases
- CLOTHING & MERCHANDISE
- Buying dynamics
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Spending
- Buying dynamics
- Planned/impulse purchases
- DECORATIONS & ITEMS FOR EVENTS AT HOME
- Buying dynamics
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Buying dynamics
- Planned/impulse purchases
- METHODOLOGY
- Technical details: consumer survey work
- Retailer ratings across key measures - grocers, 2026
- Retailer ratings across key measures - non-food retailers, 2026
- Percentage point change - top 10 retailers shopped at for World Cup food & drink, 2022 & 2026
- Items purchased, treats, 2025 & 2026
- Products purchased, alcoholic drinks, 2022 & 2026
- Products purchased, meat & meat-free alternatives, 2022 & 2026
- Products purchased, non-alcoholic drinks, 2022 & 2026
- Products purchased, bakery, desserts & puddings, 2022 & 2026
- Products purchased, frozen foods, 2026
- Products purchased, fruit & vegetables, 2022 & 2026
- Products purchased, fish, 2022 & 2026
- Products purchased, ready meals, 2022 & 2026
- Products purchased, delicatessen products, 2022 & 2026
- Categories bought on impulse by food & drink shoppers (%), 2022 & 2026
- Percentage point change - top 10 retailers shopped at for clothing & merchandise, 2022 & 2026
- Products purchased, clothing & footwear, 2022 & 2026
- Retailers used, clothing & footwear, 2022 & 2026
- Products purchased, merchandise, 2022 & 2026
- Retailers used, merchandise, 2022 & 2026
- Categories bought on impulse by clothing & merchandise shoppers (%), 2022 & 2026
- Percentage point change - top 10 retailers shopped at for decorations & items for events at home, 2025 to 2026
- Products purchased, items for events at home, 2022 & 2026
- Retailers used, items for events at home, 2022 & 2026
- Products purchased, electricals, 2022 & 2026
- Retailers used, electricals, 2022 & 2026
- Products purchased, decorations, 2022 & 2026
- Retailers used, decorations, 2022 & 2026
- Categories bought on impulse by decorations & items for events at home shoppers (%), 2022 & 2026
- World Cup viewing penetration, 2022 & 2026
- World Cup shopper penetration, 2026
- World Cup shopper profile, 2026
- World Cup retail shopper penetration, 2026
- World Cup leisure shopper penetration, 2026
- Financial wellbeing compared to 2022, 2026
- How consumers financed the World Cup spending compared to 2022, 2026
- How consumers split World Cup spending between retail & leisure, 2026
- World Cup activities, 2026
- World Cup takeaway cuisines, 2025 & 2026
- World Cup dining out choices, 2022 & 2026
- Agreement and disagreement with statements about World Cup 2026, and change on 2022
- Which retailer did the best job of promoting or communicating deals for World Cup 2026
- What’s driving retailer selection - summary, 2026
- Food & drink penetration, 2024, 2022 & 2026
- Retailers shopped at for food & drink, 2022 & 2026
- What’s driving retailer selection among food & drink shoppers 2026, and change on 2022
- Consumers using each channel for food & drink, 2022 & 2026
- Consumers using each store type for food & drink, 2022 & 2026
- Consumers using each device for food & drink purchases, 2022 & 2026
- Consumers using each fulfilment option for food & drink, 2022 & 2026
- World Cup food & drink average spend by retailer 2026
- Treats penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Alcoholic beverages penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Meat & meat-free alternatives penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Non-alcoholic drinks penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Bakery, desserts & puddings penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Frozen foods penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Fruit & vegetables penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Fish penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Ready meals & meal deals products penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Delicatessen products penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Planned/impulse purchases, food & drink, 2026
- Clothing & merchandise overall penetration, 2024, 2022 & 2026
- Retailers shopped at for clothing & merchandise, 2022 & 2026
- What’s driving retailer selection among clothing & merchandise shoppers 2026, and change on 2022
- Consumers using each channel for clothing & merchandise, 2022 & 2026
- Consumers using each physical store type for clothing & merchandise, 2022 & 2026
- Consumers using each device for clothing & merchandise, 2022 & 2026
- Consumers using each fulfilment option for clothing & merchandise, 2022 & 2026
- World Cup clothing & merchandise average spend 2026
- Clothing & footwear penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Merchandise penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Planned/impulse purchases, clothing & merchandise, 2026
- Decorations & items for events at home overall penetration, 2022 & 2026
- Retailers shopped at for decorations & items for events at home, 2022 & 2026
- What’s driving retailer selection among decorations & items for events at home shoppers 2026, and change on 2022
- Consumers using each channel for decorations & items for events at home, 2022 & 2026
- Consumers using each physical store type for decorations & items for events at home, 2022 & 2026
- Consumers using each device for decorations & items for events at home, 2022 & 2026
- Consumers using each fulfilment option for decorations & items for events at home, 2022 & 2026
- World Cup decorations & items for events at home average spend by retailer 2026
- Items for events at home penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Electricals penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Decorations penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2022 penetration
- Planned/impulse purchases, decorations & items for events at home, 2026
Companies Mentioned (Partial List)
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:
- Adidas
- Aldi
- Amazon
- AO
- Argos
- ASDA
- ASOS
- B&M
- Boots
- Co-op
- Currys
- eBuyer
- Etsy
- H&M
- Iceland
- IKEA
- JD Sports
- John Lewis & Partners
- Lidl
- Marks & Spencer
- Morrisons
- Next
- Nike
- Oliver Bonas
- Primark
- Sainsbury's
- Screwfix
- Shein
- Sports Direct
- Temu
- Tesco
- The White Company
- TK Maxx
- Very
- Waitrose & Partners
- Zara
- Zara Home
