Beer is No. 1 Pick for World Soccer Tournament Watch Parties, New Survey Finds

Cristiano Ronaldo edges out Lionel Messi as top beer-drinking companion

Washington, D.C. - With the men's world soccer tournament approaching, Cristiano Ronaldo (23%) narrowly beats Lionel Messi (22%) and ranking third Christian Pulisic of Team USA as the global soccer star Americans would most want to share a beer with, according to a new Morning Consult survey conducted for the Beer Institute. In addition, the new data shows that beer is the top alcohol for watch parties, with 67% of party hosts planning to stock beer over other alcohol beverage options.

The survey, conducted in May 2026, reinforces how in the U.S., people continue to associate beer with social occasions around live sports and major cultural moments, with 48% of participants noting they plan to gather with others to watch the soccer matches.

"This is more than a soccer tournament - it is a global event where people from all over the world come together at bars, stadiums and in living rooms to cheer on their home countries over a cold beer," said Brian Crawford, president and CEO of the Beer Institute. "Beer continues to be the drink fans choose to celebrate the moment and connect."

In the findings, beer remains the top choice among beverages, with more than half of all generations saying they plan to bring beer to watch the games. Among Gen X respondents, 84% said they plan to serve beer at their event. No other alcohol averaged 50% or more across all generations.

Other key findings from the survey include:

• Beer is part of that fan ritual, with 45% of tournament watchers planning to drink beer while watching - especially avid (53%) and casual (51%) soccer fans.

• Among adults 21+ who plan to watch the soccer games, more than a third (36%) plan to host a watch party.

• 61% of watch party hosts expect to have at least 5 people over, including 39% expecting 5-10 guests, 14% expecting 10-15, and 8% expecting 15+.

This summer, millions of fans from around the world will travel to the U.S. or watch from their home countries. No matter where loyalty lies on the pitch, beer continues to unite fans, bringing their passion and patriotism to bars, restaurants and homes across the nation.

For more information about the survey, please contact [email protected].

About the poll

This poll was conducted between May 21 and May 23, 2026, among a sample of 2203 Adults 21+. The interviews were conducted online. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.