Pubs, supermarkets and bookies expecting huge boost when Lionesses play Euro final
Pubs, bookies and supermarkets are gearing up for a bumper weekend as the nation gets ready to roar on the Lionesses in the Euros final. Punters will be drinking until the wee hours after pubs received special permission to stay open as late as 1am to celebrate the occasion.
And those planning to watch it at home have already begun stocking up - as supermarket giants expect a huge boost in sales. Asda has forecasted 1.3 million sales of bags of crisps and 300,000 pizzas.
Meanwhile Tesco expects to sell three million cans of beer and cider, over 3.5 million bottles of wine, 450,000 bottles of champagne or sparkling wine, and 70,000 pizzas across the weekend. But despite the opposition, the supermarket believes that Spanish brews such as San Miguel, Cruzcampo, and Estrella are likely to be the beer of choice.
Spanish lager is now by far the most popular beer bought in the UK, with volume growth at Tesco last year up by more than 15% versus the year before. And the bookies are also predicting a surge, as the Barmy Army back their beloved Lionesses to go all the way. Betting shop Coral expects this Sunday's Women's European Championship final to be to see a record-breaking number of fans having a flutter.
Coral's John Hill said: 'Millions of pounds will be bet on the women's Euros final with British bookmakers, and the majority will be on the Lionesses to lift the trophy. For the first time in this tournament, England will start a match as the underdogs, but that tag might just suit them." William Hill added that 66% of bets taken in the Women's Euros have backed England.
And after the government gave pubs a special dispensation to stay open late, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper wished the Lionesses good luck ahead of the final. She said: 'The Lionesses have shown throughout this summer why they are true national stars. They have shown unbelievable grit and determination and are an inspiration to us all.
'Watching football in the local pub is a great British tradition and by extending licensing hours, we will hopefully be able to celebrate late into the evening. I want to wish the best of luck to Sarina Wiegman and the England squad, who we hope will be able to bring it home once again and continue on as champions of Europe.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
21 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool's No. 7 shirt options as Luis Diaz exit could cause scramble for iconic kit
Liverpool have sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich and the Reds face a dilemma in deciding their new No. 7 after a busy summer in the transfer window, with a reshuffle of shirt numbers possible Liverpool could make significant changes to their squad numbers this summer after a busy transfer window. Luis Diaz has completed his £65million move to Bayern Munich, meaning the club's No. 7 shirt is now available. The Reds have opted to splash the cash this summer after clinching the Premier League title last season. Liverpool snapped up Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz in a deal that could be worth up to a British record £116m. The signings of Hugo Ekitike, full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, plus goalkeepers Giorgi Mamardashvili and Freddie Woodman, mean there are plenty of new faces in the dressing room. This also gives Liverpool several options to inherit Diaz's No. 7 shirt, which is closely associated with club legend Kenny Dalglish. Wirtz stands out as one possibility to be named Liverpool's new No. 7. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder wore the No. 10 in his final two seasons at Leverkusen, having previously donned No. 27 after stepping up from the club's academy. Alexis Mac Allister currently wears No. 10 for Liverpool, meaning Wirtz could be given Diaz's old number instead. Alternatively, Mac Allister could be forced to give up his shirt number to Wirtz, making him a candidate to wear No. 7. Fellow new signing Ekitike is another possibility following his £79m move from Eintracht Frankfurt, particularly as the French star is arguably Diaz's replacement in Arne Slot's squad. The versatile forward has worn various squad numbers throughout his relatively short career, but was most recently No. 11 during his time in Germany. Liverpool are not done with their transfer business as the club are interested in £150m-rated Alexander Isak. The striker currently wears No. 14 for Newcastle United, but may choose to switch it up if he does complete a move to Anfield. Other options within the Liverpool squad to take Diaz's old number are Cody Gakpo (No. 18), Harvey Elliott (No. 19), Curtis Jones (No. 17) and Federico Chiesa (No. 14). A further reshuffle could occur if Darwin Nunez (No. 9) also leaves the club this summer. Fortunately, some of Liverpool's other new signings do not face a fight for their preferred shirt numbers. Right-back Frimpong can claim the No. 30 he has worn since his Celtic days. Former Valencia goalkeeper Mamardashvili also finds his preferred No. 25 shirt available after arriving to compete with Alisson Becker. Meanwhile, fellow goalkeeper Freddie Woodman has worn No. 27 or No. 41 in the past, neither of which is currently taken. Kerkez was previously Bournemouth 's No. 3, which he also wore during his time in AC Milan's academy, but that number belongs to Wataru Endo at Liverpool. While the transfer window is ongoing, the club have assigned each of their new signings with temporary squad numbers ranging from No. 54 to No. 59. Former Liverpool No. 7 Diaz posted a heartfelt message on social media upon leaving Liverpool. The 28-year-old was signed from Porto in January 2022. "Three years and a half that I'll treasure forever. I arrived with all the dreams in the world, and I am leaving proud of everything we achieved together,' he wrote. 'I have met incredible people, fabulous colleagues, coaches who helped me a lot, and extraordinary fans. "Liverpool is, indeed, a special team, and I will keep everyone in my heart. The cycle ends here, and it is so gratifying to look back and realise how happy we were. Not only because of the trophies we won, but for the union and friendship that made it all possible. There were ups and downs, as there always are, but there was always truth. As it should be in a family. "It's good to be leaving with the feeling of a duty fulfilled, and, most of all, to be leaving a champion. It would have been the perfect goodbye if we hadn't lost one of ours in such a tragic way. As I said, and I repeat, I carry everyone with me in my heart, but one of them in particular: Diogo. I will never forget him. We will never forget him. Thank you for everything." With the Community Shield less than a fortnight away, as Liverpool take on Crystal Palace on Sunday, August 10 at Wembley, there is not long to go before final decisions on shirt numbers need to be made ahead of the new season. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
21 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Anthony Joshua told to retire from boxing immediately on one condition
Anthony Joshua has been urged to retire if he is unable to secure a fight with Tyson Fury, with the former world champion set to return to the ring later this year Anthony Joshua has been advised to hang up his gloves if a bout with Tyson Fury doesn't materialise. The former two-time heavyweight king hasn't stepped into the ring since his defeat buy Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last September. While both fighters appeared poised for an instant rematch, Joshua required additional recovery time following minor injuries sustained during their initial clash. After the Dubois setback, Joshua's future remains uncertain, with many questioning what lies ahead for the 35 year old boxer. Ex-WBA super-middleweight titleholder George Groves reckons there's little remaining for Joshua beyond an all-British showdown with Fury. Nevertheless, Groves confesses that the prospect of the British icon facing Jake Paul thrills him. The duo have been linked to a potential clash next year following verbal confirmation of a heavyweight encounter. The 'Problem Child' has repeatedly challenged 'AJ' in recent months and appears keen to square off against the boxing legend, reports All Out Fighting. Speaking to talkSPORT, Groves commented: "[Jake Paul] is a gift that keeps on giving for Anthony Joshua. It'll be a huge fight, [with] a lot of money at stake and zero risk. As a fighter, at some point [and] definitely at Joshua's point of his career, you weigh up your risk [to] reward. "And considering there's zero risk in a Jake Paul fight, apart from embarrassment if something bizarre happens, with a lot of reward, if he gets that fight, he's gonna be buzzing. But that's not the fight I want to see for Anthony Joshua. I'd rather see him retire or fight Fury." In the midst of speculation about a potential face-off, Saudi boxing boss Turki Alalshikh disclosed that he had talks with Paul and even suggested that the American is prepared to accept a mere ONE PER CENT share of the purse. Speaking on 'The Boxing Voice', Alalshikh stated: "I'm not against what Jake Paul's doing in boxing, it's good for boxing to have a young generation." 'I'm against some kinds of fights he does. I'm now thinking him against Joshua. Joshua, if he destroys (Paul), it will be good for me. The headache of Jake Paul goes from my mind. If Jake Paul wins, I will know that Joshua is finished, and Jake Paul deserves his ranking and deserves to have a future in boxing. I don't want 50-50. In this situation, I want 99-1. Jake Paul has accepted. Now, next week I will talk with Joshua about it. "". Anthony Taylor, Paul's one-time sparring partner, has dished out some advice for the American ahead of a potential clash with Joshua. In a chat with CasinoHawks, Taylor laid down his strategy for Paul, saying: "Anthony Joshua moves well. Jake moves well. But Jake is a little smaller, so if Jake Paul's gonna fight Anthony Joshua-go for it. Do it without regrets. Say that, 'I fought a world champ and a boxer who's a potential Hall of Famer.'". "Do it with no regrets, and have fun while you're at it. Win or lose-you're having fun. That's all that matters. It's David and Goliath. But if you want to beat Anthony Joshua, you just gotta stick and move, big dog. Don't sit there with him. Don't sit there with him. For the love of God, don't sit there with him."
BBC News
21 minutes ago
- BBC News
Liverpool beat Arsenal to Salford's Wright
Liverpool are set to sign Salford City's teenage striker Will Wright, beating Arsenal to a deal in the process. The 17-year-old has passed his medical ahead of a £200,000 move to Liverpool, with Arsenal now considering alternative targets to strengthen their academy team. One target is England Under-17 international Igor Tyjon, currently at Blackburn
