On the eve of the Rugby World Cup, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) says the tournament will give a big boost to locals across the UK. The association expects pubs to sell over 25 million extra pints, with over 2.5 million watching at least one game in the pub.

Most of this boost to beer sales will come from UK residents (20 million pints) but the BBPA also expects the thousands of visitors to the UK to boost sales by five million pints. The total impact on turnover for pubs, in beer sales alone, is expected to be around £86 million.

BBPA Chief Executive Brigid Simmonds comments: “The Rugby World Cup is a great opportunity for pubs, and they will be making the most of it. Nothing can match the atmosphere of the Great British pub when it comes to big matches, apart from actually being there. And for those visiting the UK for the tournament, the pub is a huge attraction.”

BBPA’s brewing members are getting into the spirit of the event, with wittily named celebratory beers designed for the occasion. Robinsons Brewery in Stockport has released ‘Hop and Under’, their penultimate seasonal beer for 2015, and Suffolk-based Adnams has produced ‘Prop Hop’ with some of the proceeds going to the Matt Hampson Foundation. Blackburn’s Daniel Thwaites has produced ‘Try Harder’, an amber ale using hops from down under and English Malt.

The BBPA, in partnership with the police and local authorities, has also recently published guidance for licensees and pub managers on how to ensure a safe and successful tournament, which is freely available on the BBPA website.