AB InBev, which owns Corona, Budweiser and Stella Artois, has the most to gain from the tournament. The company is a sponsor of the championship and has a strong presence in the host countries of the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Jefferies also forecast Heineken sales to rise 0.27% and Carlsberg, which has a weaker presence in the Americas, to rise 0.15%.
For brewers, it’s a chance to shore up sales after a weak year. According to IWSR, global beer sales will fall by 1% in 2025 due to weak consumption in major markets, particularly the US and Brazil. The Financial Times reports that.
This year’s tournament has been expanded to 48 teams and 104 matches, compared to 64 games at previous championships. Jefferies estimates that additional sales during the 39-day tournament could bring the industry 5.9 million hectoliters of beer, or 0.2-0.3% to annual volumes in 2026.
