World Cup beer sales are hopping. Brewers hope the stout demand outlasts the tournament

By — Dee-Ann Durbin, Associated Press Dee-Ann Durbin, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/world-cup-beer-sales-are-hopping-brewers-hope-the-stout-demand-outlasts-the-tournament Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter World Cup beer sales are hopping. Brewers hope the stout demand outlasts the tournament Nation Jul 17, 2026 12:27 PM EDT The World Cup has been a bonanza for beer in the U.S. Bars in Boston reported needing emergency deliveries to keep taps from running dry on some game days. Fans downed a total of 290,000 stadium beers during the six matches in Philadelphia, FIFA organizers said. But all that frothy foam obscures a cold reality: Beer sales have been struggling globally, and it's unclear if soccer's world championship tournament can reverse the trend despite having three countries and 16 cities as co-hosts this year. READ MORE: Spirits surpass beer for U.S. market-share supremacy, data shows In the U.S., beer consumption has fallen steadily for a decade, according to the Brewers Association, a trade group for craft brewers. Canada has seen a similar decline, according to the national statistics agency. The Brewers of Europe trade association says the story is the same in the European Union. An Australia fan drinks a beer out of a shoe in the stands before the June 13, 2026 Australia v Turkey match in Vancouver, Canada. Photo by Albert Gea/Reuters Consumers are buying less regular beer and more 'wellness' drinks Many consumers are cutting back on alcohol for health reasons. Last year was the first time in Gallup's polling that a majority of Americans – 53% -- said drinking "one or two drinks a day" was bad for one's health. WATCH: Simon Kuper and Geoff Bennett discuss the World Cup on 'Settle In' While sales of non-alcoholic beer have grown, they still make up only around 1% of the U.S. market, according to the Beer Institute, a trade group for brewers. Economic worries also have taken a toll on sales. U.S. consumption of all types of alcohol – including wine and spirits – fell 5% last year, and affordability concerns were partly to blame, beverage market research company IWSR said. Craig Purser, the president and CEO of the National Beer Wholesalers Association, said he thinks smartphones and Netflix have taken consumers away from socializing with a cold beer in hand. "If you have this behavior where we're cocooning and we're not spending time with other folks, that's going to affect beer consumption," Purser said. World Cup host cities saw a bump in beer sales at stadiums, bars and restaurants Enter the World Cup and the soccer fans who traveled from around the world to support their national teams and engage in communal celebration or sorrow. In the first four weeks of the tournament, beer sales in bars, restaurants, stadiums and other venues rose 14% in U.S. host cities compared to the same period last year, according to the Beer Instit