Lan Kwai Fong Group chairman Allan Zeman says business ‘up 60 to 70 per cent’ in nightlife district and set to get ‘crazier’ for finals
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenAmbrose LiPublished: 2:24pm, 12 Jul 2026Updated: 2:33pm, 12 Jul 2026Many bars, restaurants and shopping centres in Hong Kong have enjoyed brisk business thanks to the World Cup, with top nightlife district Lan Kwai Fong recording an up to 70 per cent jump in patronage for this year’s big matches.Lan Kwai Fong Group chairman Allan Zeman told the South China Morning Post that he had joined football fans in the entertainment district in Central to catch the England-Norway game during the early hours of Sunday morning.“It’s [been] a crazy night. It’ll only get crazier once we get into the finals,” Zeman said. “There are not many nights that get that full at 4am with both locals and tourists.
“Business is up 60 to 70 per cent,” he said, comparing important World Cup games involving big-name teams such as England, Brazil and Argentina to normal days.
But Zeman stopped short of sharing his expectations for the final, only expressing confidence that Lan Kwai Fong would be packed out for the occasion.
The World Cup has injected some much-needed buoyancy into business at the city’s pubs, bars and restaurants, which have grappled with the years-long consumer trend of Hongkongers heading to mainland China for cheaper options.
