Ecuador Slashes Beer Prices by 20% to Rally Support for the World Cup

President Daniel Noboa delivers his State of the Nation address at the National Assembly.in Quito, Ecuador, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Photo: AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off, Ecuador has introduced an unusually boozy measure aimed at boosting national morale.

During a campaign pit stop in the town of El Empalme, President Daniel Noboa announced that the country’s tax on moderate beverages will be lifted until July 19, the final day of the World Cup. The exemption will lower the price of wine, beer and other drinks by more than one-fifth, the president declared to a round of applause from the crowd.

“We are going to remove the special consumption tax from all moderate beverages, including beer, during the World Cup. This way, the price of beer will drop by more than 20%,” Noboa said.

The policy applies to what Ecuador classifies as “moderate beverages,” generally drinks with an alcohol content of 5 percent or less. Government officials say the initiative is intended to encourage consumer spending and support restaurants, bars and neighborhood stores during one of the world’s largest sporting events.

Ecuador is gearing up to make its fifth FIFA appearance on Sunday, when it will be squaring off against the Ivory Coast at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The country previously participated in the tournament in 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2022.

Noboa is one of the only world leaders launching an official drive to boost beer sales during the World Cup. But that doesn’t mean that a similar effort isn’t happening off the books.

The festivities are projected to add 568 million liters to global beer consumption, equivalent to an overall 0.3% annual increase in sales, according to investment firm Jefferies. Western Europe and North America are expected to see some of the strongest gains, though countries like Ecuador may follow as well if the incentives keep stacking up.