FIFA kick-off timings pose challenge for bars
Mumbai: Sports bars, pubs and restaurants may fall short of the usual FIFA World Cup business windfall in 2026 as late-night and early-morning kick-offs in
Mumbai: Sports bars, pubs and restaurants may fall short of the usual FIFA World Cup business windfall in 2026 as late-night and early-morning kick-offs in India are expected to limit community viewing and footfalls, industry executives said. Restaurant operators said they are bracing for lower turnout compared with the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022, when more favourable timings helped drive screenings and group viewing at venues."We expect a 20-30% decline in footfalls compared to the Qatar World Cup in 2022, although some marquee fixtures scheduled at convenient hours should still attract crowds," said Miten Shah, director of The Studs Sports Bar & Grill.Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026: Format, groups, full schedule, India match timings, where to watch, and everything you need to know"We are also seeking permission from local authorities to extend restaurant operating hours by an hour.
In Mumbai, we currently have permission to operate until 1:30 am, while in other cities the cut-off is 12:30 am. For match days falling within these hours, we have sought special approvals," he added. Elara Capital EVP Karan Taurani said football has historically had a limited impact on restaurant and sports bar traffic in India compared with cricket.Analysts expect viewing behaviour to shift, with more audiences likely to rely on highlights, delayed viewing and digital catch-up rather than tune in live for overnight matches."This edition faces a structural challenge due to time-zone differences, as the tournament is being hosted in the US, Canada and Mexico," said Abneesh Roy, executive director for research at Nuvama Institutional Equities."Live viewership is likely to be impacted, with a greater proportion of audiences expected to shift towards catch-up viewing, highlights and delayed consumption.
Restaurants, pubs and bars, which typically benefit from FIFA-driven group viewing, are likely to see lower-than-expected footfalls," he added. Industry executives said hospitality venues may still see spikes during marquee knockout games and weekend fixtures, though the commercial upside is expected to be lower than the Qatar edition.Also Read: FIFA 2026 World Cup to boost beer sales by over 1,000,000,000 pints: Event to boost global GDP by more than $41 billionA senior hospitality industry executive said tournaments such as FIFA, UEFA and the Premier League typically drive a 30% increase in footfalls due to a strong fan following, but the timing of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has dampened expectations.The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, with matches involving Lionel Messi's Argentina, Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, Brazil, France and England expected to generate the biggest interest in India.
The BriefWire