England’s World Cup run is helping save a struggling non-league football club after huge fanzone events saw more than 1,000 pints pulled per match and tickets sell out in minutes.
Bromsgrove Sporting FC has struck gold by turning its stadium into a giant watch party venue, attracting thousands of Three Lions supporters through the gates.
The club says every England match has sold out within minutes, providing a major financial boost as it battles to secure its future.
READ MORE: England superfan flies home just BEFORE knockout game – £6K dream trip left in tatters
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And some supporters attending the fanzones didn’t even know the club existed before the tournament.
“We are selling out the venue in minutes,” club director Alex Moran told Whats The Jam.
“It’s been brilliant and the feedback we’ve got has been so positive.
“We are really trying to use all the assets the club has available to not only increase revenue, but get the community interested in the team.
“Our overarching goal of these fanzone events is to bring locals here.
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“Some supporters who have come for the England matches didn’t know we existed.”
The Victoria Ground hosted 1,200 fans for England’s 4-2 victory over Croatia on 17 June.
Since then, every Three Lions fixture has sold out, with tickets disappearing almost as soon as they go on sale.
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Supporters can pay £10 for entry or £80 for a reserved table, with fans watching from either a giant marquee on the pitch featuring a 138-inch LED screen or from the club’s sports bar.
The atmosphere has proved a hit with everyone from die-hard football fans to families looking for a community day out.
Alex said: “The events have managed to harness the perfect balance of the ‘lads lads lads’ football fan atmosphere while keeping it safe for families to celebrate with their kids.
“Security and professionalism has been extremely important to us as this needs to feel like a safe place for the community.
“When you do something in your hometown it brings that sense of community that is slowly vanishing in the area.
“People have less and less disposable income, so making the club a place they can go on their doorstep for a good day out is vital to us.
“The drinks are almost half the price of what you’d now pay in Birmingham or Worcester and it’s accessible.”
Alex is part of a five-person consortium that took over the club in February 2026.
At the time, Bromsgrove Sporting was facing a £100,000 deficit and the new owners set themselves one goal – saving the club.
Alongside introducing local food vendors and improving matchday experiences, the board looked at ways to make better use of the ground when football was not being played.
The fanzone idea was developed alongside local businessman Elliott Newton, owner of Social Sticks.
Alex said: “We actually started the watch parties before the World Cup, with our first one being the Europa League final.
“We had a great turnout from local Aston Villa and football fans in the bar area and repeated the event for the Arsenal vs PSG Champions League Final.
“Everything we are doing at the club is with the aim to get the community engaged and interested.
“There are 130,000 people in Bromsgrove – how do we get them interested?
“We are already seeing an upturn in fortune and so can the fans.
“We have reinvested the money into the squad, bringing a number of new players to the club this summer.”
Tickets for Saturday’s England versus Norway fanzone sold out in just 10 minutes.
READ MORE: I was up at 2am cheering England on in silence to not wake the house – by 6am I was at work’
