The tournament, which witnessed robust advertiser interest, has also garnered strong viewership ratings
The tournament has been garnering high viewership ratings and any last-minute ad inventory will be sold at a hefty premium, senior industry executives pointed out.
Rahul Singh, Founder, The Beer Cafe said, “India’s fantastic win in the semi-final has set up what is going to be a blockbuster final this Sunday. We are expecting one of the biggest screening days of the year across our outlets, with footfalls and revenues likely to see a 2x jump compared to a regular Sunday.
Sagar Daryani, President, NRAI and CEO and Co-Founder, Wow! Momo Foods said food delivery orders are expected to see a sharp spike during match hours, with average order value likely to rise by 20-25 per cent.
Restaurants are already witnessing rise in advance bookings. Divya Aggarwal, Chief Growth Officer, Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd said, “With live screenings across all SOCIAL outlets, we’re already seeing early momentum build, with pre-bookings currently tracking about 10-15 per cent higher than a typical Sunday, and we expect that demand to continue rising as we get closer to match day.”
Robust interest
The tournament, which witnessed robust advertiser interest, has also garnered strong viewership ratings. Vinay Hegde, CEO Investments, Madison Communications said, “Sponsorship economics were already strong before the final. Even before the knockout stage, advertiser demand for the tournament was robust. India’s performance simply unlocked the upside on any unsold inventory. A 30-50 per cent spike in rates can be expected. The overall ratings have been better than usual especially with even non-India matches doing well.”
Navin Khemka, President-Client Solutions, WPP Media, South Asia stated, “Given India’s stellar performance, the World Cup matches have witnessed an unprecedented surge in viewership . The tournament has been seeing a consistent flow of advertisers. Brands that have been associated with the tournament right from the start will be seeing the benefits.”
Meanwhile, multiplexes, which have been screening World Cup matches on the big screen, too expect to garner strong occupancies on Sunday. “We’ve seen a good 35 per cent occupancy across our theatres nationwide in selected screens. The interest continues to build as we screen the World Cup Final on Sunday, giving fans a chance to share this key moment together,” said Gautam Dutta, CEO – Growth & Revenue, PVR INOX.
Published on March 6, 2026