England stars could kick off £2.7 billion bonanza for pubs, shops and restaurants by reaching World Cup final

Pubs, supermarkets and food delivery companies are in line for a World Cup bonanza that could boost takings by an estimated £2.7 billion if England defy the odds and march all the way to the Moscow final.

With fewer fans than normal expected to travel with the Three Lions and England group-stage fixtures timed for the early evening or the weekend, pubs and bars in particular are preparing for a bumper month.

Gareth Southgate’s squad are guaranteed at least three matches as they battle to qualify for the knock-out stage.

The second group game against Panama is thought likely to be a particularly good money-spinner as it falls on Sunday lunchtime, allowing entire families to “make a day of it”.

The pint-pulling peak is four minutes before the start of the second half, according to analysis from payment company Worldpay.

It also said that the biggest surge in spending in London takes place in the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, where sales rise almost threefold during major England games.

Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “London pubs will certainly benefit, with people from many different nations gathering in pubs to watch their team. Pubs have always been the best place to watch football, as thousands do week-in and week-out during the regular football season.”

City analyst Douglas Jack of Peel Hunt said that the four-week feast of football will also bring a huge wave of takings for online takeaway businesses such as Domino’s Pizza and Just Eat, as well as Deliveroo. Supermarkets also said it would be the first “craft beer” World Cup, with sales of specialist beers tripling since the 2014 tournament.

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Tesco said that over the course of the football festival it expected to sell almost 140 million bottles and cans of beer, more than two million pizzas and 60 million packets of crisps and other snacks. The retailer also hopes to sell around 75,000 large-screen TVs as shoppers upgrade in time to watch Harry Kane lead out his men for England’s first game against Tunisia.

Tesco beer, wines and spirits director Rob Cooke said: “We’re already seeing rising demand for drink and typical party foods in advance of England playing their first match and have ordered in extra supplies to make sure Britain doesn’t run dry.”

Online discount offers company VoucherCodes and analyst Retail Research estimated that the spending splurge will be £1.33 billion if England play only the group stage, but a potential £2.72 billion if the team reaches the showdown on July 15.