The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July – 39 days, 104 matches, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico. For most people in Wirral, it will be a brilliant tournament to follow. But for some, major sporting events bring increased pressure around gambling, alcohol, drugs and, for many people who don’t talk about it openly, domestic abuse.
At Wirral Ways, we want everyone to enjoy the tournament. We also want to make sure that anyone who needs support during it knows where to find it. This is not about telling people what to do. It is about making sure no one feels alone if things get difficult.
Gambling and the World Cup
Football betting is the most common form of gambling in England, and major tournaments push that activity higher. The 2026 World Cup is the biggest in history – 48 teams, 104 matches, 39 days. With in-play and micro-betting meaning bets can be placed on individual moments within a game, the pace and frequency of gambling opportunities is unlike anything previous tournaments offered.
Research published in 2026 found that betting frequency was 16 to 24 per cent higher during World Cup matches broadcast alongside gambling advertising, and viewers were 22 to 33 per cent more likely to place a bet. These figures came from people with no prior history of gambling problems. (University of Sheffield, 2026)
A 2026 survey found that 68 per cent of people who gamble expected to bet more during 2026 because of the sporting calendar. The World Cup was cited as the top reason, by 59 per cent of respondents. (Nationwide / GamCare, 2026)
Gambling harms are not just financial. They affect mental health, relationships, work, housing and the people around the person gambling. They can also develop gradually and quietly – which is part of what makes them easy to miss.
Signs that gambling may be becoming harmful
- Spending more money or time gambling than you planned
- Chasing losses, or borrowing money to fund bets
- Feeling anxious, irritable or low when you are not gambling
- Hiding bets or bank activity from a partner or family member
- Using gambling to cope with stress, loneliness or difficult feelings
- Feeling like you need a bet on to make a match feel exciting
- Missing payments, falling into debt or lying about money
Support is available whether you are ready to make changes now or just want to talk. Wirral Ways works with the Primary Care Gambling Service (PCGS), an NHS service offering free, confidential support with an average referral-to-treatment turnaround of 10 days.
Alcohol and the World Cup
For many people, watching football and having a drink go hand in hand. That is fine. But during a 39-day tournament with near-daily matches, the volume and frequency of drinking can build in ways that are hard to notice.
During the 2022 World Cup, spending at pubs, bars and clubs rose by more than 20 per cent on England match days. During the 2018 tournament, a record £287 million was spent on alcohol in supermarkets and shops in a single week during the knockout stages.
For people already managing concerns around alcohol, the World Cup can be a particularly difficult stretch. The social expectation of drinking, the length of the tournament and the emotional highs and lows of competitive football can all intensify existing patterns.
Alcohol also lowers inhibitions, affects judgement and can intensify emotional responses – both the highs and the frustrations. The links between heavy drinking and other harms, including domestic abuse, are well documented and are explored further below.
Drugs and the World Cup
Alongside alcohol, drug use around football has become increasingly visible. Research from the University of Stirling found that both fans and safety organisations described cocaine use at football matches as ‘extensive’, with police noting it had become a bigger factor in matchday disorder than alcohol. A 2021 study found around 30 per cent of fans surveyed said they had witnessed cocaine use at games.
At home, the combination of stimulants like cocaine with alcohol – a common pattern during extended social occasions – increases risks including cardiovascular strain, erratic and unpredictable behaviour, and vulnerability to mental health crisis. It can also be a significant factor in domestic abuse incidents.
If you are concerned about your own drug use, or someone else’s, FRANK offers free and confidential advice 24 hours a day on 0300 1236600, and Wirral Ways can provide support alongside treatment.
Domestic Abuse and the World Cup
Domestic abuse is never caused by football, alcohol or any other external factor. It is caused by the choice of the person who carries it out. Football tournaments do not create abusers. But they can create conditions that increase risk and intensity for people already living with abuse.
The link between major football tournaments and increases in reported domestic abuse is well documented across multiple studies and police datasets.
Reported alcohol-related domestic abuse rose by 47 per cent on the day of an England victory at a major tournament, and was 18 per cent higher than average the following day. (Warwick Business School, using 10 years of West Midlands Police data)
Domestic abuse reports increased by 26 per cent when England played, and by 38 per cent when England lost. (Lancaster University / National Centre for Domestic Violence)
During Euro 2020, 26 police forces recorded a 10 per cent rise in domestic abuse reports across the tournament period, totalling 96,473 reports. The Metropolitan Police saw a rise of over 14 per cent.
During the 2018 World Cup, the NSPCC recorded a 33 per cent rise in helpline calls about domestic abuse and a 17 per cent rise in children requiring counselling for domestic abuse.
It is important to be clear about what the evidence shows and what it does not. Alcohol does not cause domestic abuse. Football does not cause domestic abuse. The research consistently shows that the increase is concentrated in alcohol-related cases – meaning alcohol acts as an aggravating factor that lowers inhibitions and intensifies behaviour in people who are already abusive. For victims, these periods represent a time of heightened risk, fear and control.
It is also important to recognise that domestic abuse does not only affect women. Men, LGBTQ+ people and people of all backgrounds can be victims of domestic abuse, and support is available for everyone.
Signs of domestic abuse
Domestic abuse includes physical violence but also controlling behaviour, emotional abuse, financial abuse, coercive control and threats. Signs that someone may be experiencing abuse include:
- Being isolated from friends, family or support networks
- Appearing anxious, withdrawn or afraid around a partner
- Unexplained injuries, or explanations that do not add up
- A partner who monitors their phone, movements or money
- Not being allowed to make decisions independently
- Flinching, apologising constantly or seeming on edge
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or worried about someone who is, please reach out. You do not have to wait until it feels serious enough.
Wirral support for domestic abuse
- It’s Never OK Wirral – one-stop local signposting for victims, supporters and professionals
- Wirral Domestic Abuse Hub – free, confidential support for male and female victims aged 16+
0151 666 4914 | dahub@wirral.gov.uk
- Wirral Women and Children’s Aid – 24/7 helpline and refuge
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline – free, 24/7
0808 2000 247 | nationaldahelpline.org.uk
- Men’s Advice Line – for male victims of domestic abuse
- Galop – national LGBT+ domestic abuse helpline
- In an emergency, always call 999
How Gambling, Alcohol, Drugs and Domestic Abuse Connect
These four issues do not always exist in isolation. During a long sporting tournament, they can combine and reinforce each other in ways that increase risk significantly.
Alcohol lowers the threshold for placing a bet, and gambling losses can drive people to drink more to manage the emotional fallout. Stimulants like cocaine can fuel a sense of invincibility that increases risk-taking, including financial risk-taking. And both heavy drinking and drug use are well-evidenced aggravating factors in domestic abuse incidents.
For people managing existing vulnerabilities in any of these areas, a 39-day tournament – with matches almost every day, constant advertising, and strong social pressure to participate – can be a sustained pressure point.
At Wirral Ways, we support people across all of these areas. You do not need to have a formal diagnosis or be in crisis to reach out. If something is worrying you, we are here.
Top Tips for the Tournament
Gambling
- Set a budget before the tournament starts. Treat it like any other entertainment spend.
- Avoid in-play and micro-betting. These formats are faster, harder to control and easier to lose track of.
- Watch some matches without betting. If the game only feels interesting when money is on it, that is worth paying attention to.
- If you find yourself chasing losses, stop. Chasing rarely ends well.
- Use GamStop to self-exclude from all UK-licensed gambling sites for free. It takes minutes.
- Talk to GamCare any time, day or night: 0808 8020 133.
Alcohol
- Eat before and during drinking. It slows absorption and makes a real difference.
- Alternate alcoholic drinks with water or soft drinks.
- Know your units. The NHS recommends no more than 14 units a week. A pint of standard lager is around two units.
- Be aware of how your mood is affecting your drinking. Tension, frustration and prolonged social occasions can all push consumption higher than you realised.
- Look out for people around you. Check in on anyone you know is managing concerns about alcohol. Seven weeks is a long stretch.
Drugs
- If you are going to use, do not mix drugs with alcohol. The combination significantly increases risks.
- If someone has a bad reaction, call 999. You will not be in trouble for calling for help.
- FRANK is free and non-judgemental, 24 hours a day: 0300 1236600.
Domestic Abuse
- If you are worried about your safety at home during the tournament, reach out before things escalate. The Wirral Domestic Abuse Hub is free and confidential: 0151 666 4914.
- If you are in immediate danger, call 999.
- If you cannot speak safely, text 999 (you must register first at emergencysms.net).
- Tell someone you trust. A friend, family member, colleague or support worker can help you stay safer and plan next steps.
- If you are concerned you may be causing harm in your relationship, support is also available for you. The Wirral Domestic Abuse Hub works with people who cause harm as well as those who experience it.
Support Available
Wirral Ways
Free, confidential support for people in Wirral dealing with drug, alcohol and gambling concerns.
- wirralways.org.uk
- wirral.services@cgl.org.uk
- 0151 556 1335
Gambling
- Primary Care Gambling Service (NHS, free) – ~10 days referral to treatment
Self-refer: primarycaregamblingservice.co.uk/pcgs-registration-form
Professional referral: smartsurvey.co.uk/s/LQ7SE2
- National Gambling Helpline (GamCare) – 0808 8020 133 | 24/7
- GamStop (free self-exclusion) – gamstop.co.uk
- GamBan (device blocking) – gamban.com
- Bet Blocker (free blocking tool) – betblocker.org
Alcohol and Drugs
- Wirral Ways – 0151 556 1335
- FRANK (drugs, 24/7) – 0300 1236600 | talktofrank.com
- Drinkaware – drinkaware.co.uk
Domestic Abuse
- It’s Never OK Wirral – itsneverokwirral.org
- Wirral Domestic Abuse Hub – 0151 666 4914
- Wirral Women and Children’s Aid (24/7) – 0151 643 9766
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline (24/7) – 0808 2000 247
- Men’s Advice Line – 0808 801 0327
- Galop (LGBT+) – 0800 999 5428
- Emergency – 999
Mental Health and Crisis
- Samaritans (24/7) – 116 123
- Shout (text) – text SHOUT to 85258
Help with debt and finances
Gambling harms are rarely just about gambling. For many people, the financial impact is one of the hardest parts to deal with. Debt, missed payments and money worries can build up quickly and feel overwhelming to face alone.
Citizens Advice Wirral offers free, confidential and independent advice on debt, benefits, housing and financial support. Their advisers can help you understand what you are entitled to, work through your options and connect you with specialist caseworkers if needed.
Support is available for people in the recovery community through outreach sessions at a number of local venues, including Nightingales on Argyle Street in Birkenhead (Thursdays, 1pm to 3pm on selected dates) and the Spider Project on Hamilton Street, Birkenhead (first Thursday of each month, 9am to 12 noon).
You can also contact Citizens Advice Wirral directly:
- Phone: 0808 278 7848 (Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4pm)
- Email: via the advice form at citizensadvicewirral.org.uk
- Website: citizensadvicewirral.org.uk/projects/ask-us-wirral
You do not need to be in serious debt to ask for help. If money is a worry, speaking to an adviser early can make a real difference.
Last Updated on 8 June 2026