After the England football team got off to a good start, investors might already be dreaming of a place in the final. With that in mind, and hope in our hearts, we’ve made a ‘squad’ of potential World Cup stock market winners.
Starting with the obvious, pubs, bars and drinks companies should benefit. The longer England (and Scotland) stay in, obviously, the better for business.
As drinking on an empty stomach isn’t advisable, grocery sellers and wholesalers should also see an uplift. For those watching at home, take-away meals and food delivery might be part of the World Cup experience.
Sports retailers might also feel the glow if demand for replica kit rises along with the team’s fortunes. Finally, big-screen tvs and tv advertising slots should be in demand.
Getting a round in
The FTSE 350 Travel & Leisure Index has already been a strong performer with a 23% gain year-to-date. In fact, the index is at a five-year high thanks to standout performances from FirstGroup (LON:FGP), Intercontinental Hotels (LON: IHG) and International Consolidated Airlines (LON:IAG).
Pub stocks, however, are mostly down on the year and are trading well below their levels of five years ago. Operators like Fuller’s (LON:FSTA), Marston’s (LON:MARS) and Wetherspoon’s (LON:JDW) are all catering to football fans and should cash in.
Drinks companies are also clear winners, and shares in Diageo (LON:DGE) are also languishing at multi-year lows. With Guinness and Guinness Zero big favourites among pub-goers, this could be a bumper summer for sales.
For those who prefer a long drink, mixers from Fevertree (LON:FEVR) might add a dash of class to proceedings. Meanwhile, increased demand for canned soft drinks, energy drinks and Irn-Bru could pep up sales at AG Barr (LON:BAG).
Home support
Food-to-go sellers such as Domino’s Pizza (LON:DOM) and Greggs (LON:GRG) should get a boost from home deliveries. Grocery giant Tesco (LON:TSCO) could also be a winner, both in the hospitality and stay-at-home markets.
Its Booker wholesale business distributes food and drink to pubs and bars as well as convenience stores and has its own ‘Match Day Hub’. Meanwhile, its Whoosh delivery service should do good business if the demand surge during England’s first game is any guide.
Conceivably, online orders for delivery from Ocado (LON:OCDO) could also see an increase if customers stay in. That would also benefit Marks & Spencer (LON:MKS), which owns 50% of the Ocado Retail business and sells through that channel.
Away fans
Another potential winner is JD Sports Fashion (LON:JD.), the sportswear retailer which has built a sizeable US footprint thanks to acquisitions. The athleisure giant has been given the red card by investors over the last five years due to earnings downgrade-driven disappointments.
However, the summer of soccer should see fans splurging on snazzy sneakers, football boots and must-have replica shirts. This should boost JD’s takings in North America and other markets and could leave management’s near-term forecast for ‘muted market growth’ looking overly conservative.
Also hoping to score this summer will be technology products retailer Currys (LON:CURY). Currys’ earnings upgrade cycle should be sustained as soccer-mad consumers splash out on smart tvs, remote controls, BBQs and American style fridge freezers this summer.
As well as gaining market share in the UK & Ireland, Currys is also winning in the Nordics. Takings at its Elkjøp chain could therefore be boosted by Norwegian marksman Erling Haaland’s goalscoring heroics.
Lastly, free-to-air broadcaster ITV (LON:ITV) has its fair share of live games which will have attracted big-name advertisers. Shares in the group, perennially touted as a takeover target, are trading at half their pre-pandemic levels.
Our World Cup ‘squad’:
| Stock | Position | Price (pence) |
| Diageo | Goalkeeper | 1534 |
| Tesco | Defender | 453 |
| Marks & Spencer | Defender | 355 |
| AG Barr | Defender | 640 |
| Fuller’s | Midfield | 698 |
| Marston’s | Midfield | 49 |
| Wetherspoon’s | Midfield | 677 |
| Currys | Wing | 153 |
| JD Sports | Wing | 86 |
| Ocado | Forward | 184 |
| Domino’s | Forward | 188 |
| Greggs | Forward | 1624 |
| Fevertree | Forward | 843 |
| ITV | Forward | 80 |
Prices correct as of 19 June 2026
