Ticket sales insights from England’s 2026 World Cup Opener

England opened their 2026 World Cup campaign in style last night, with a convincing win over Croatia. But the match didn’t just deliver on the pitch. It also provided us with valuable insight into football fan ticket-buying behaviour. Insight that will prove valuable to those hosting live screening events over the coming weeks. 

Here are a few learnings worth taking into your next event.

Last-minute sales were huge

If there’s one thing organisers should expect from football fans, it’s late buying behaviour. A trend we’ve seen for many years across almost all event types on Skiddle, customers are opting to pull the trigger and get their tickets much closer to the time of an event taking place. 

A significant proportion of tickets for screenings of last night’s 6-goal epic were sold in the final days and hours before kick-off, with the majority of events seeing a surge on match day itself. 

The takeaway? Keep promoting right up until kick-off and, where possible, keep tickets on sale throughout the event start period. If you’ve got the resources, be sure to fine-tune your marketing efforts to attract sales from the last-minute, spontaneous decision-makers. Read into your data, understand where your sales are coming from and where your audience is hanging out online.

Don’t forget your walk-up audience

As has already been covered, we know football fans are the spontaneous type – not the sort who usually plan ahead. Fans often decide where to go at the last minute, so use that knowledge and make it easier for the impulsive to purchase tickets on the day.

A simple tactic is displaying a QR code linked directly to your event page at the venue entrance. You can also use our free RapidScan entry app as a box office, allowing your door staff to process on-the-door sales and manage walk-up customers from a mobile device. 

Download our RapidScan app (iOS)

Download our Rapidscan app (Android)

Bundles can increase value

Football should absolutely be the focus of any World Cup screening event, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go above and beyond in your offering. 

Analysing the ticket sales data for screenings of last night’s game, we concluded that events offering added value through food or drink packages saw fans book their tickets much earlier in the sales cycle.

Whether it’s a pie and a pint on arrival, a trend which has taken off across Scotland, or a drinks package for groups, bundling can help increase conversion and boost customer spend, while helping you stand out from your competition.

Group tickets performed strongly

The World Cup is a social occasion. It’s a time when club rivalries are put aside, and fans come together to support one cause – and our sales data backs that up.

Group ticket options proved extremely popular, particularly where they guaranteed seating. Fans want to watch major tournaments together, and many are willing to commit earlier if it means securing a table or dedicated space for their group.

If your venue layout allows it, group packages are absolutely worth considering for future fixtures.

More on setting up group tickets.

Sell tickets for the next match before the final whistle

One of the biggest opportunities for organisers is capturing momentum during the event.

When fans are taken in by the atmosphere, when they’re engaged and fully invested, emotional and buzzing with adrenaline, they’re far more likely to commit to attending your next game than they would be the following day, when the excitement has worn off and the hangovers are likely kicking in. 

Displaying QR codes for upcoming fixtures around the venue gives customers an easy way to secure their place before they leave. You could also use the halftime break to promote your next event on whichever screen you’re showing the game, and could even offer a special promotion to drive sales. 

More on Discount Codes.

Make sure venue partners are selling too

If you’re co-hosting World Cup screening events with a venue, make sure you’re tapping into their audience. It may seem obvious, but many promoters miss the opportunity to extend their reach simply by not making full use of their venue partner’s channels.

If possible, request that your Skiddle listing be added to the venue’s website and ask them to cross-promote your content across their social media pages.

The easier you make it for fans to find and buy tickets, the greater your chances of maximising attendance and revenue.

Final thoughts

England’s opener reinforced three familiar truths: football fans are passionate, social and often spontaneous.

Organisers who embrace last-minute buying behaviour, fine-tune their marketing efforts accordingly, create added value through packages, and make purchasing as easy as possible will be best positioned to capitalise on the remaining World Cup fixtures.

Plus, those savvy organisers who list their events with Skiddle will be in an even greater position to sell more tickets with marketing support from our in-house team. We’ve got search-optimised listicles covering screening events in every region of the UK, a dedicated Inspire Me page, bespoke social media posts and newsletters, reaching upwards of half a million subscribers, all working together to promote your event without you having to lift a finger! 

With a run to yet another big tournament final on the cards for the Three Lions, now’s the perfect time to put these lessons into action and list tickets to your World Cup screening events on Skiddle