Happy Hour for Power! Octopus Energy Extends FREE Electricity Pubs Scheme for All Remaining World Cup Matches

Over 350 pubs have already enjoyed FREE electricity during England and Scotland matches, saving almost £20k so far.

As England gears up to face Argentina tonight, Octopus Energy extends ‘Watt a Save’ to all remaining World Cup games.

Comes after Octopus data showed electricity demand surging at pubs during England’s dramatic win over Norway.

London, 15th July 2026 - As England reaches the World Cup semi-final for only the fourth time in history and faces Argentina tonight, Octopus Energy is extending its ‘Watt a Save’ initiative right through to the end of the tournament.

This means pubs will receive five hours of free electricity for all remaining games, including the 3rd place playoff.

Hundreds of independent pubs across Britain have already cut their energy bills by almost £20k thanks to Octopus Energy for Business’s ‘Watt a Save’ scheme. Like Happy Hour but for power, it gives pubs free electricity from 7pm until midnight whenever England or Scotland have played.

Since the tournament began, over 350 pubs have signed up, helping venues hosting football fans lower their costs while keeping the World Cup fever going, with some saving £40 in just one match.

So far, pubs have used over 77,500 kWh of electricity during these sessions. That’s equivalent to boiling the kettle to make enough cups of tea for every fan in the Atlanta stadium nearly 40 times over.

Tonight’s match is forecast to be a busy one for pubs across the country, with more than 6 million extra pints predicted to be poured according to the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA).¹

The news follows fresh Octopus data showing football fans flocked to pubs during England’s dramatic victory over Norway last Saturday night. Electricity demand across participating pubs was 19% above normal at kick-off and reached a whopping 42% above typical levels by 1am, as celebrations continued long after Jude Bellingham’s extra-time winner.²

Household electricity demand also surged 22% above normal at the final whistle. It remained elevated throughout the night as people celebrated and stayed up to see who England will face at the semi-final following the Argentina v Switzerland match in the early hours of Sunday morning.

It comes as a recent YouGov survey found hospitality firms are feeling the squeeze more than other sectors, with 74% reporting a negative impact from energy costs in the past year.³

Eligible pub customers can still opt in to the scheme.⁴

Zoisa North-Bond, CEO at Octopus Energy for Business, said: “England’s incredible World Cup run has given fans plenty to celebrate, and we want pubs to make the most of every minute. It’s brilliant to see the savings our pub customers have been making on their bills through ‘Watt a Save’ and we’re now extending this right through to the final whistle of the last game in the tournament.”

Declan Perkins, owner of Clissold Park Tavern, The Lauriston and The Regent pubs in London, said: “The World Cup is one of our busiest times and it means hiring extra staff and increased drinks deliveries to meet this huge demand as fans are turning out in massive numbers. As we focus on giving our customers a brilliant match day experience, free electricity is a real help - and we’ve already saved hundreds of pounds through ‘Watt a Save’.”

About Octopus Energy for Business

Octopus Energy for Business launched in 2018 to provide companies with future-proof energy services, supplying them with 100% renewable and fairly-priced power.

Built to shake up an opaque market stacked against small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the team delivers simple and transparent pricing with no unnecessary middlemen. It has pioneered smart time-of-use tariffs - the first supplier to do so - helping small businesses cut energy costs by using energy at cheaper, greener, off-peak times. With a predominantly SME customer base, the team supplies around 120,000 customers, right across from independent high-street businesses to the Emirates Stadium for Arsenal FC, Caffè Nero, Osprey Charging and Instavolt. More information on Octopus Energy for Business can be found at octopus.energy/business/.

About Octopus Energy Group

Octopus Energy is a global clean energy and technology business, driving the affordable, green energy system of the future. Under its own retail brand, Octopus delivers world-class customer service and cutting-edge energy products to 11 million households globally.

The company is driving the electrification of heat and transport through smart tariffs and innovative clean tech, with operations spanning 27 countries and the entire energy value chain. It operates a £8.5 billion renewables portfolio as well as thriving EV leasing, heat pump, and solar businesses.

Backed by pension funds, investors and energy giants, Octopus Energy Group businesses deliver cheaper, greener energy and cutting-edge tech to countries and customers worldwide.

For more information, check out octopus.energy.

Images:

Octopus pub customers have been getting five hours of free electricity on nights England and Scotland have played in the World Cup.

Declan Perkins’s pubs Clissold Park Tavern, The Lauriston and The Regent in London are taking part in the ‘Watt a Save’ scheme.

Photos are available as email attachments: 1.jpg, 2.jpg

Notes to Editors

1. British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) data, as reported in the Morning Advertiser.

2. The analysis compares electricity usage between 6pm on Saturday 11 July and 9:30am on Sunday 12 July with usage over the same period the previous week. It is based on a subset of over 100,000 Octopus Energy household customers on the Flexible Octopus tariff and 150 Octopus Energy pub customers.

3. This survey was carried out by YouGov on behalf of Octopus Energy for Business, with 1,034 small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) decision-makers responsible for choosing their business’ energy supplier surveyed across the UK (excl. Northern Ireland). The survey was carried out online between 17 and 27 April 2026.

4. Please note that businesses will need to have a working meter that sends through automatic readings to take part, for example a smart meter or AMR meter, and can opt in any time in the World Cup, and their savings will be calculated from when they signed up.

For more information:

Press Contacts, Octopus Energy Group

press@octoenergy.com | +44 (0)20 4530 8369

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