The excitement of the final match of FIFA World Cup 2026 was clearly visible in India also. Before the biggest football match, sales of jerseys, snacks, cold drinks and fast food reached record levels across the country. The bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants which were conducting live screening of the match were also fully booked.
According to ET report, despite the match being late at night, the enthusiasm of football fans did not diminish. Many bars, clubs and restaurants in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and other cities organized live screenings. In view of the increasing crowd, large LED screens and projectors were installed at the last moment at many places.
Bars and restaurants open till 4 pm in Delhi
The Delhi government allowed bars and restaurants to remain open till 4 am on the occasion of the final. Permission to open till late night was also given in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana. The hotel and bar industry directly benefited from this decision. Restaurant and bar operators said that most of the premium outlets were already fully booked. At many places, the match was shown with tickets, the price of which ranged from Rs 1,500 to Rs 10,000. Businessmen estimate that their earnings on the final night were almost double that of a normal Sunday.
Food orders also increased
The impact of the football final was not limited to bars and pubs only. Food delivery platforms and cloud kitchens also received a large number of orders late at night. Many companies estimated that 30 to 40 percent more orders were received compared to a normal weekend. There was also a tremendous increase in the sales of sports merchandise. Demand for jerseys of Lionel Messi and other star players increased, while FIFA themed food combos, cold drinks and collectibles also sold quickly. It is worth noting that in the report, many bars and restaurants have said that there has been a big increase in sales, but no official data of total sales of liquor or total business across India has been released yet.
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