- 9 in 10 taxi drivers consider themselves football fans, yet 91% have chosen to work when a sporting moment is on despite wanting to watch it
- Research found upwards of £200 is lost in earnings every time they forfeit fares to watch the game they love
- To give back to taxi drivers, Carlsberg gave them the night off by booking them for a ride that they'd never forget
- Arriving at a surprise location, unsuspecting drivers were given the full football fan treatment with the chance to watch the Germany vs Portugal game of the UEFA Nations League Finals™ 2025, alongside fellow drivers - and Carlsberg covered their fares
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, June 6, 2025 -- A fleet of football-fanatic taxi drivers were booked for what they thought was a standard fare, only to find on arrival that they were being surprised by Carlsberg with the opportunity to watch the UEFA Nations League Finals™ 2025, Semi Final 1 between Germany and Portugal in the ultimate football setting.
As the official Beer of UEFA Men's National Team Football, Carlsberg wants to bring more access to the best of football around the world. With taxi drivers key to the nighttime economy, playing a fundamental role in helping fans enjoy the game fully – and ensuring they have a safe journey home – Carlsberg created the 'Fare Game' event to give back to theses drivers who so often miss out on watching football live.
This comes as global research, commissioned by Carlsberg, revealed that whilst 9 in 10 taxi drivers around the world call themselves football fans, almost two thirds (60%) miss major football matches due to work. In fact, over half (58%) are simply unable to afford to take the time off, with financial pressures being a driving factor (86%). If they do make the tough call to tune into a match and sacrifice fares, they can lose out on upwards of £200 – demonstrating the real cost of being a fan behind the wheel. Perhaps that's why 9 in 10 have chosen to work when a sporting moment is on despite wanting to watch it.
The taxi drivers arrived at The Fare Game cab park – the ultimate spectator zone specifically created by Carlsberg in Berlin to host the drivers – to watch the match on a cinematic screen. With Carlsberg 0.0 beer available for free, the delighted drivers could kick back, enjoy tasty snacks and cheer on their national team with fellow drivers. Topping this all off was the reassurance that Carlsberg would cover the full fare, so they weren't left out of pocket.
"That was incredible. I was very surprised, I felt like a superstar. I had no idea about anything. There were so many people cheering us on. Thank you Carlsberg for giving us the opportunity to enjoy the match. It was just incredible!", said taxi driving football fan Mehdi Tamaz.
With such a passion for the sport, missing out on big sporting events hits taxi drivers personally too. 6 out of 10 taxi drivers report that hearing celebrations while driving the streets heightens the feeling of missing out on a big sporting event, and a further 58% say they feel like a less dedicated fan when unable to watch live sporting events due to work.
Choosing work over the football also sees taxi drivers miss out on the shared experience of watching with loved ones and other fans, something two fifths (58%) say they miss out on the most. And for those working, it means they have often watched a key moment like a semi-final match, with a passenger in the car (57%).
Taxi drivers are often relied on by football fans to get them to the game, with 57% having helped fans make games they would have otherwise probably missed. This reliance on cabbies however leaves many having to resort to finding other ways to keep up to date with the latest scores. In fact, a fifth (21%) depend on the radio to keep up with the action and almost a quarter (26%) rely on asking their passengers for updates on the game. Meanwhile over a quarter are forced to use their breaks to catch the highlights (28%) or have even pulled over during rides to watch live moments of a match (27%).
Lynsey Woods, Global Brand Director at Carlsberg said, "Carlsberg is committed to giving everyone access to the best of football and through our new partnership with UEFA, we were able to make this happen for some of the biggest fans out there – taxi drivers.
We recognized that the dedication of taxi drivers to keep our city moving often meant they missed out on the biggest matches globally. So, we wanted to create an unforgettable experience for them and offer taxi drivers access to the game, allowing them to enjoy the best of football surrounded by other likeminded passionate fans."
To bring the campaign to life, a short documentary film captured the drivers' emotional journey and the best moments from the event, with the film highlighting the sacrifices these drivers make and the power of shared experiences, find out more on Fare Game here.
As part of Carlsberg's sponsorship of UEFA Men's National Team Football, the brand will continue to offer fans access to the best of football.
About Carlsberg Group:
Established in 1847 by brewer J.C. Jacobsen, the Carlsberg Group is one of the leading brewery groups in the world, with an attractive portfolio of beer and other beverage brands. With over 30.000 employees, and with a presence in more than 125 markets, the Group has a purpose of brewing for a better today and tomorrow. Doing business responsibly and sustainably supports that purpose – and drives the efforts to deliver value for shareholders and society. For further information, visit carlsberggroup.com
The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2600 taxi drivers (18+) in the UK (1,000), Portugal (500), Germany (1,000) and China (100). The data was collected between 15.05.2025 – 22.05.2025. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
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