The report says spending at pubs and bars rose by 10% in July, helped by supporters gathering to watch England reach the semi-finals.
That has long been one of football’s hidden strengths in the wider economy:
“Multiple factors played a part, with UK staycations, continued warm weather and England's World Cup run lifting spending on travel, hospitality, everyday essentials and seasonal retail categories,” Kumar added in the report.
This was not football working alone. The report says overall card spending was up nearly 2%, with warm weather and domestic travel also feeding into the rise.
That combination is important. A summer tournament lands differently when:
The update also says confidence in the UK economy reached 30%, while job security edged up to 47%. Football may have supplied the emotional spark, but the wider backdrop appears to have made that spark easier to spend on.
This is where football’s footprint becomes bigger than tickets and shirts. A successful England run can spill into travel, food, drink and even cinema-going as people lean into a shared summer mood. It is not just about what happens over 90 minutes; it is about what those nights do to habits, routines and confidence.
The next question is whether that lift proves temporary or whether clubs, broadcasters and hospitality businesses can tap into it again when the next major England storyline arrives.