Cheers To Bars UK Event

Held at The Palm House, Victoria, London, the day before the World Cup semi-finals kick off - and as part of the Company’s 40th anniversary with Budweiser as a FIFA World Cup sponsor - the event brought together pub operators, brewers, industry leaders and MPs to celebrate the role pubs and bars play in Britain's everyday life.

Budweiser Brewing Group is the company behind many of Britain's best-loved pints - not only Budweiser, but Corona, Stella Artois, Modelo Especial and more - and Cheers to Bars reflects its commitment to the pubs and bars that serve them.

The standout moment of the day saw Sir Geoff Hurst reunited with 3 residents of Signature at Hendon Hall care home, 1 who was in the Wembley crowd for the 1966 final, sixty years after his hat-trick won England the World Cup. Signature at Hendon Hall was previously a hotel and the very building where the 1966 England squad stayed the night before the final. Together, they relived one of the nation's greatest sporting moments, swapping stories over a beer and reminiscing about that famous win.

Bringing together pub operators, brewers, MPs and industry leaders, the event put pubs and bars centre stage - celebrating them as the places where fans come together to support their team, even with the challenges of this year’s World Cup time zone.

The numbers back it up. Almost two thirds of football fans say a match feels more exciting watched in the pub than at home. More than half plan to visit pubs more often during major tournaments. And nearly three quarters of people say pubs help fight loneliness in their local area.

Giovanne Cury, On-Trade Director UK&I, Budweiser Brewing Group, said:

"Pubs and bars are so much more than places to enjoy a great beer. They are where communities come together, friendships are formed, milestones are celebrated and memories are made. Football only reinforces that role. Whether celebrating victory or sharing disappointment, pubs provide a unique atmosphere that simply cannot be replicated elsewhere."

Sir Geoff Hurst said:

"Some of my fondest memories have been spent in pubs, both as places to socialise and later as a publican at the Royal Oak. They have always been at the heart of communities, particularly during football tournaments, where generations come together to share moments that last a lifetime. It's a privilege to help celebrate the people and places that make those occasions so special, and it was a great honour to spend time reliving the 1966 World Cup final with several gentlemen from Hendon House."

Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock said:

“Sport has a unique power to bring people together. Gathering at the local pub to watch a World Cup game with friends and fellow fans is a brilliant shared experience.

“Cheers to Bars is a fantastic opportunity to recognise the vital contribution that pubs and bars make not only to our sporting culture, but also to local economies, high streets and communities across the UK.”

Around 16 million UK adults visit a pub every week -making them, still, one of the country's most important social institutions. BBG employs more than 1,500 people across its UK breweries and head office and works with thousands of pubs and bars nationwide.