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Two weeks of knockout rounds remain in the 2026 World Cup. That’s great news for America’s bars and restaurants in host cities, where beer sales soared 15.4% compared to the same weeks last year, according to Beer Institute. For an industry that has seen volume broadly flat or declining for years, it’s a welcome kick in the shin.
Massachusetts is leading the country, with on-premise beer sales nearly 30% over the first two weeks of play — driven in part by Scotland’s Tartan Army, which descended on Boston in force and nearly drank the city dry. The parent company of Sam Adams said its Boston Taproom sold four times its normal holiday volume in a single weekend, requiring an emergency beer delivery.
So what makes beer score points with World Cup fans? “Beer’s range of options makes it a strong fit for occasions like these,” said Heritage. “There’s a brew for every kind of fan, which is part of why it scales so well during an international event like this.”
The Beer Institute’s survey found 67% of watch party hosts plan to stock beer, far ahead of any other beverage. The message is clear: Serve beer or go home.