Key takeaways
- Late night weekday match times in Europe will see fans think more carefully about how much they want to drink
- That’s on top of existing global trends, which are seeing consumers moderate alcohol consumption
- Brands, bars and pubs should embrace this unique opportunity by putting low and no options front and centre at matches
Today’s consumers are already cutting back on their alcohol intake. In fact, in Europe, low and no alcohol drinks are now mainstream: around one in every 15 beers sold is alcohol-free.
Football may be the last bastion for beer, booze and heavy drinking: but the 2026 World Cup is already shaping up to be very different.
Consumers are on the search for alcohol-free
The 2026 World Cup is being hosted by three nations: the US, Canada and Mexico.
The time difference means that, in Europe, many matches will kick off later in the evening - around 9pm or 10pm or even later.
And - particularly for weekday matches - that’s not a time when people want to be drinking heavily.
Football matches might once have been a boozy occasion, with the festivities continuing throughout the evening.
But late kick-off times will push the celebrations later into the night, with some matches finishing in the early hours of the morning.
And fewer and fewer people are keen to face a hangover in the office the next day: meaning fans may think twice about ordering another round.
“Moderate drinkers are increasingly important to the World Cup occasion, particularly with later kick-off times and consumers balancing work, travel and next-day responsibilities,” said Alison Jordan, CEO at market intelligence firm The Oxford Partnership.
0.0% beer in World Cup sponsorship tie-ups
Michelob Ultra Zero features as part of Michelob Ultra’s campaign as Official Beer Sponsor of the World Cup. The Anheuser-Busch brand is backed by international stars Lionel Messi and Guillermo Ochoa, retired star Ronaldo Nazario and Canadian star Jonathan David.
The visibility of mainstream alcohol-free brands as part of World Cup sponsorship deals could also prompt consumers to trial the category - perhaps even with spontaneous choices during the matches themselves.
The opportunity for brands and pubs
Brands, pubs and bars should think about putting no and low alcohol options front and centre, alongside their alcoholic drinks.
That might mean having at least one alcohol-free beer on draught; or putting a special selection of mocktails on the menu.
They should also be ready to cater for consumers who opt for smaller measures (half pints or smaller wine glasses) or more sessionable choices in the alcohol space.
“Operators can appeal to these [moderating] consumers by making no and low and moderation choices highly visible and credible rather than treating them as secondary options,” said Jordan.
Catering for everyone
Low and no alcohol options may also provide a much-needed draw that many venues need. Late night matches make it harder to entice consumers to come out to watch the game: so a diverse range of drinks is important to cater for everyone.
But it’s not about shunning alcohol: with many fans still happy to have a couple of alcoholic drinks but looking to moderate their intake with strategies such as zebra striping (alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks).
“Consumers still want the atmosphere, social connection and shared experience of watching football in venue, they just increasingly want flexibility in how they drink,” said Jordan.
“Alcohol-free beer, lower ABV options and premium, quality adult soft drinks all become much more important in that environment.”