• 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​

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. ​

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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. ​

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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.  ​

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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.​

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.​

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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%). ​

​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.

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