England is making its most ambitious run at a soccer championship in decades, and the country’s economy is set to reap the benefits.
England secured its first-ever trip to a UEFA Euro final with its 2-1 victory over Denmark on Wednesday.
While pandemic-related restrictions have reduced fan capacity at matches, England — which will host the final at London’s Wembley Stadium — is practically guaranteed a serious boost in consumer spending.
- A 2018 study found that spending in England rose by over $1.38 billion during the 2018 World Cup, which was played in Russia.
- That analysis predicted the economic boost would have reached $3.73 billion had England made the final. (The team finished fourth.)
- Leicester City’s surprising Premier League win in 2015 brought an additional $193.2 million to the local economy.
France, which hosted the UEFA Euro 2016, generated $1.44 billion in economic activity from the tournament. UEFA made $1 billion in net revenue.
This year’s games have drawn more attention than previous Euros. Viewership on ESPN and ABC was up 33% for the first 24 matches of the tournament, compared with 2016.
Italy and Spain’s semifinal match, which Italy won on penalty kicks, drew an average of 19.4 million viewers in Italy and 11.7 million in Spain.
