Madeleine SpeedJun 7, 2026 – 12.21pmLondon | Football fans are forecast to drink an extra 1 billion pints of beer during the World Cup in a much-needed boost for the beleaguered brewing industry, which is battling cost inflation, sluggish demand and fears that it is stuck in long-term decline.This year’s World Cup is an expanded 48-team competition featuring 104 matches, compared with the 64-game tournaments of previous years, setting the stage for the booziest World Cup in history.Financial TimesSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles