BRITISH football fans visiting Benidorm are guzzling an astonishing 190,000 litres of beer every day as World Cup fever sends sales through the roof.
Pub owners in the Costa Blanca holiday hotspot say their businesses are doing a roaring trade, driven by an influx of thirsty British holidaymakers.
Beer sales are up around 30 per cent compared with a normal summer, with the sharp rise attributed to visitors wanting to watch games at this summer’s FIFA World Cup in North America.
An estimated four million litres of beer will be supplied to Benidorm’s bars and pubs over the next three weeks, before the final in New Jersey on July 19.
Industry figures say astronomical ticket prices and extortionate accommodation costs in the United States, Canada and Mexico have put many fans off heading to the World Cup, with a trip to Spain viewed as a cheap alternative for those who want to watch the matches and savour some atmosphere.
The trend is in sharp contrast to the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022, where business was lacklustre with the tournament being held in the cold of mid-winter.
In terms of beer choice, Spanish-brewed lager continues to lead the way among punters, with a pint available for as little as €2.
British imports are also popular – especially cider – although they tend to be pricier at around €5 a go.
Uncharacteristically for Brits abroad, water sales have also enjoyed an uptick thanks to the recent spell of hot weather that has sizzled western Europe.
Some pubs even temporarily ran out of bottled water and were forced to hastily arrange emergency restocking.
Things are expected to continue ramping up over the next few weeks as the knockout stage of the tournament begins.
England play DR Congo on Wednesday evening in the Round of 32, with Spain facing off against Austria the day after.
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