Britain’s power grid operator expects a spike in electricity demand of up to 800 megawatts during England's World Cup opener against Croatia on June 17, especially at half-time when many viewers boil water for tea [1, 2, 3, 4].
The projected surge surpasses the 600MW increase recorded during England’s 1966 World Cup win [1, 2, 4]. Since then, Britain’s electricity generation has shifted dramatically, now operating without coal and with wind and solar providing over half of the country’s electricity supply [1, 2, 4]. Craig Dyke, director of system operations at NESO, said, "This year’s World Cup will almost certainly be powered by the cleanest electricity in history" [1].
To handle the sudden rise in demand, the UK grid operator plans to rely on fast-response facilities such as the Dinorwig hydroelectric plant in Wales [1, 2, 4]. These plants can quickly increase output when tens of thousands of fans simultaneously brew tea or use other electrical appliances during half-time.
Despite the 2026 FIFA World Cup having 40 more matches than previous tournaments—raising overall tournament electricity demand by up to 60%—the impact of each individual game on the power grid is smaller than in past decades [1, 2, 4]. This is partly due to the widespread adoption of energy-efficient televisions, which have cut electricity consumption per match by around 20% compared to 1998 levels [1, 2, 4].
Similar football-induced power surges have been reported across Europe. France experienced a 500MW jump in electricity demand during a World Cup quarter-final, illustrating that the pattern of fans causing spikes through activities like making tea is not unique to Britain [1, 2, 4].
England’s match against Croatia on June 17 remains the first test of the grid’s ability to meet the expected surge. Operators will monitor demand closely and adjust generation to maintain stable supply throughout the game [1, 2, 3, 4].
