Cheers to that! Drinkers to down more pints in England's semi-final clash against Argentina than on NYE - as interactive map reveals every pub showing the last World Cup games

By JAKE HOLDEN, UK NEWS REPORTER Published: 12:59, 14 July 2026 | Updated: 13:27, 14 July 2026 Pubs are predicted to pour more pints in England's semi-final tie against Argentina than on New Year's Eve. Landlords are preparing for record crowds to watch the game up and down the country as the Three Lions face down Lionel Messi and his team at 8pm tomorrow. A new interactive map has also been created, revealing where exactly fans can have a tipple and take part in the national binge in 2,313 pubs all over the UK. Built using AI that called up thousands of pubs, the map has singled out spots where you'll be able to catch the game on a big screen while holding a pint, and also 1,302 football-free pubs, for those who want to avoid the boistrous atmosphere. As many as 14 million pints will be poured across the UK this Wednesday - six million more than the average eight million that are normally sold on Wednesdays in July, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said. The 75 per cent increase in sales is higher than the five million extra beers slurped down on bank holidays. Emma McClarkin, BBPA chief executive, said: 'Thanks to the World Cup, we've seen millions of extra pints sold off the back of home nations' matches. 'Given the nail-biting stakes, we expect Wednesday to be the most successful night of the tournament, with more than six million extra pints potentially sold - which is a bigger boost than we'd normally see on a Bank Holiday or New Year's Eve.' Drinkers will guzzle 14 million pints during England's semi-final clash against Argentina tomorrow - more than during New Year's Eve  The game is seen as 'revenge' for Maradona's cheating 'Hand of God' goal in the 1986 World Cup and is the latest entry in the bitter 60-year rivalry between the nations Your browser does not support iframes. The game is heavily anticipated - not just in the UK, but across the world - to see perhaps the most famous international rivalry there is on the biggest stage in football. Headed by the legend himself Lionel Messi in what will likely be his last World Cup, the showdown will be one for the history books. After a generational performance against Mexico in the 3-2 win at the hallowed Azteca ground and a nervy last-minute victory against Norway, England fans are on the edge of their seat to see how it plays out against Argentina. The rivalry began all the way back to the famous year of 1966 when England - hosts that year - knocked Argentina out of the quarter finals with following a controversial sending off of the opposing captain Antonio Rattin for 'verbal dissent'. Twenty years later, the teams took each other on again at the Azteca Stadium in 1986 World Cup - just two years after the British victory in the Falklands War. Argentina clearly had a score to settle, which Maradona did in characteristically outrageous style - with the cheating Hand of God, which he then followed up with the 'goal of the century'. The game finished 2-1 to Argentina, and England were knocked out. The South Americans went on to win the tournament that year. This was the peak of the rivalry between the teams, and fans see tomorrow's game as a chance at revenge for that fateful match. Politicians have even been dragged into the fray as Argentina's foreign minister made the incendiary comment that Falkland Islanders were 'artificially implanted'. It forced Keir Starmer to hit back at Buenos Aires, raising tensions between the nations. Football legend Messi seemed a little more positive about the prospective grudge match however, commenting: 'Facing England will be special. It's my first time playing against England. 'I've played against just about everyone except them. They are a great team, a football powerhouse; it's always exciting to face opponents like that.' Pubs have been struggling in England for years now, and the UK boss of Spanish brewer Estrella claimed last week that the World Cup was the only thing keeping the lights on in drinking holes as they stagger under crushing business rates and the increase in the minimum wage. England and Wales lose about 80 pubs a month, the BBPA revealed in May. But the new interactive map hopes to make it easier for customers to join the celebrations and support pubs at the same time. Hospitality workers and members of the public are invited to add or confirm whether their own local is showing the remaining games - turning the one-off AI snapshot into a living index which gets more complete every day throughout the tournament. 'Anyone who's tried to organise watching a big football match with friends knows the drill - you want to meet with your friends to watch a match and spend half your lunch break ringing pubs to see if they're broadcasting the game you're interested in,' said Matt Cortland, AI Engineer and creator of the project. 'I wondered whether an AI could save everyone that hassle. [AI developer] Twilio made it possible to build a voice agent that could have thousands of real conversations with pubs, so fans can spend less time calling around and more time debating about the things they actually care about.' Luke White, the managing director of Estrella Damm UK, said that World Cup was the only thing keeping pubs open as they deal with crushing business rates and increasing minimum wage England has won the last two times it played against Argentina - in the 2002 World Cup group stages it was 1-0 and at a 2005 friendly it was 3-2 Lionel Messi said: 'Facing England will be special. It's my first time playing against England. I've played against just about everyone except them. They are a great team, a football powerhouse; it's always exciting to face opponents like that.' Luke White, the managing director of Estrella Damm UK, said that the football mania was 'helping keep some pubs afloat' as fans flood beer gardens and bask in the heatwave sun. As many as 1 million beers were guzzled down during the England tie against Mexico, which started at 3am last Monday after Starmer had introduced emergency powers to keep pubs open through the night. With all the history behind the Argentina match brewing up a storm, pub bosses are manning the bars as though they were battlements to deal with the influx of thirsty fans.  The feud between the two national teams has now spanned 60 years and has continued to produce fiery drama after its 1986 peak. They faced each other again in 1998, and yet more drama unfolded in the tense tie when David Beckham was red-carded for kicking out at Diego Simeone. Neither team could eke out a win from the 2-2 deadlock until Argentina beat England 4-3 on penalties. However, the last time England faced their bitter rivals at a World Cup was in a 2002 group game, which the Three Lions won 1-0. Outside of the World Cup, the teams played a friendly in 2005 which England won again 3-2. The BBPA's Ms McClarkin said: 'The Three Lions have not only delivered on the pitch; they've brought fans and communities together, boosted pubs up and down the country, and created some unforgettable memories. Now all they need to do is bring it home!'