What Do I Need For A World Cup Garden Party?

The World Cup is right around the corner, and the squads have been announced (and England fans are delighted with Tuchel’s selection, right?).

With the Qatar 2022 World Cup being held in December, the UK missed out on one of its long-standing World Cup traditions – the great British garden party. But, have no fear, this year, the World Cup is being held during British summertime, giving you the perfect excuse for a watch party!

Whether you’re there to back England or Scotland, in it for the food, or just waiting for a friend or family member to embarrass themselves, check out Millets’ must-haves and advice for all garden parties this summer.

When is the World Cup 2026?

 The World Cup 2026 will be held from Thursday, June 11 to Sunday, July 19, 2026, across three countries: the United States of America, Mexico and Canada.

This World Cup edition is notable for its expansion to 48 teams, who will compete in 12 groups of four. This edition will feature 104 games, up from 64 in the 2022 World Cup.

What dates do England and Scotland play?

England’s group game times are much more reasonable than Scotland’s, being between 9 pm and 10 pm. Scotland has been given later slots across the board for their group games, including a rather unflattering time of 2 am for their opener against Haiti, so unless you want the neighbours to hate you, best to rule a garden party out on that date! 

If England progresses as group winners, 5 pm on Wednesday, 1^st July, seems a great opportunity to arrange your party. Alternatively, the quarters could land at 8 pm on a Friday or Saturday, with the final (for all the optimists out there) at 8 pm on Sunday, 19th July.

If Scotland are group winners, it gives them a 6 pm Round of 32 on Tuesday, 29th June. If they come second, unfortunately, they'll draw up another 2 am start time. 

Full fixture times (at time of writing) for England and Scotland can be found below -

England -

Stage	Scenario	Date	UK Kick‑off (BST)
Group	vs Croatia	Wed 17 June	21:00
Group	vs Ghana	Tue 23 June	21:00
Group	vs Panama	Sat 27 June	22:00
Round of 32	If England finish 1st	Wed 1 July	17:00
Round of 32	If England finish 2nd	Thu 2 July	00:00
Round of 16	If England progress	Sun 5 / Mon 6 July	01:00 or 20:00
Quarter‑final	If England progress	Fri 10 / Sat 11 July	20:00–22:00
Semi‑final	If England progress	Wed 15 July	20:00
Final	If England progress	Sun 19 July	20:00

 Scotland -

Stage	Scenario	Date	UK Kick‑off (BST)
Group	vs Haiti	Sun 14 June	02:00
Group	vs Morocco	Fri 19 June	23:00
Group	vs Brazil	Wed 24 June	23:00
Round of 32	If Scotland finish 1st	Mon 29 June	18:00
Round of 32	If Scotland finish 2nd	Tue 30 June	02:00
Round of 16	If Scotland progress	4–7 July	20:00–01:00
Quarter‑final	If Scotland progress	9–11 July	20:00–22:00
Semi‑final	If Scotland progress	14–15 July	20:00
Final	If Scotland progress	Sun 19 July	20:00

 Of course, the World Cup isn’t just about your own nation; it’s about watching games you would never do if it weren’t the World Cup. The early slot is typically 5 pm for group games across the tournament - the perfect time to gather friends and family round, fire up the BBQ, whack on the telly and prepare yourself for that one member of the family or friend to talk tactics incessantly.

What do I need for a garden party?

Here's a checklist of everything you need for a garden party - 

☐ BBQ or pizza oven

☐ Fuel (charcoal, gas, firelighters)

☐ Coolbox or cooler for drinks and food

☐ Ice packs or bags of ice

☐ Folding chairs or garden seating

☐ Camping table or outdoor surface space

☐ Shelter (gazebo, parasol, or awning)

☐ Outdoor lighting (lanterns, string lights, or torches)

☐ Extension leads or cable reels

☐ Portable speaker or sound system

☐ Fire pit or outdoor heater (weather depending)

☐ Sun cream 

☐ Insect repellent

Now, we have our checklist, so let's look at some of our kit list in a bit more detail. 

BBQ

A BBQ is a must-have for every garden party. Those burgers and hot dogs won’t make themselves now, will they? An absolute essential purely for its versatility in how you can prepare your food. Watch as your dad likens himself to Gordon Ramsay for flipping a patty on the grill.

Alternatively, a pizza oven is also a strong candidate to keep your guests fed and happy. Be brave and bring some pineapple to undoubtedly spark the age-old debate of whether it belongs on pizza.

Coolers & Cool Boxes

Keep a nice cold drink, ice or food nice and cool whilst outside, so you don’t even have to break stride whilst enjoying the football.

Available in different capacities, large or small, you’ll be able to hold all your garden party essentials refreshed. From handles, over the shoulder straps, or even collapsible variations for added convenience, grabbing a cooler is essential for any garden party host.

Folding & Garden Chairs

Every host's worst nightmare is having the guests arrive and there not being enough space for everyone to sit down, which means someone must awkwardly squat over a wall or hover around the people sitting. Avoid the stress and ensure you have garden chairs on your list! A folding chair provides even more convenience, allowing you to quickly disassemble and store it, saving you valuable space.

Tables

You need a place to put down all your delicious plates of food and refreshing drinks. A convenient camping table that can be easily stashed away is an excellent option. 

Firepits

A firepit is an excellent addition to add a little ambience and add a cosy touch to the party. 

Of course, this depends on how hot the day is. If somebody put on a fire pit in 30 °C, for example, I think I would just leave.  

Gazebos & Shelters

Don't let your equipment, glasses, plates, food or guests smoulder in the sun; get a convenient gazebo or shelter to provide some shade.

Your guests must have somewhere to get out of the sun on hot days or nights. 

Or lo and behold, it starts to rain (in British summertime? No way!), then shelter is a necessity to keep all equipment dry and guests happy. If the weather is severe, then having an indoor backup plan is never a bad idea.

Lighting & Lanterns

For night games, you'll need some lighting unless you like eating in the dark. You can create ambience either through string lights or lanterns. With careful placement, you don't even need that much lighting, especially with the light of the television or projector.

Sun cream

Crucial for staying protected from the sun. It seems obvious, but how many people do you see walking around sunburnt?

Not putting on sun cream when required can not only have annoying short-term effects like burning, but also more serious long-term effects. It only takes a couple of minutes; always err on the side of caution.

Insect Repellents  

So, you’ve invited all your friends and family, but no one invited those pesky mosquitoes. Mosquitoes love the warm weather; they work within a 24 °C to 32°C window. Annoyingly, they can use standing water in gardens to breed, so ensure standing water is removed in hot weather.

Luckily, they can be easily deterred with an insect repellent spray.

Creating a World Cup Atmosphere

So, you've got all the kit, you've invited all the guests, so now it's all about having fun. Here are some of the activities you could do during your World Cup party. 

Colourful decorations - the World Cup is all about celebrating culture, decorate your party to reflect

Play some pre-match music, but with some caveats. Make sure the music is not too loud, and always be respectful of the neighbours. Tell them that you're having a party (invite them!), when and for how long. If they have mitigating circumstances then it may be best to reschedule. Make sure that your music is at a reasonable level (no blaring garage music, please).

World Cup dress code - encourage people to wear team shirts or team colours - bring out that team spirit!

Go around and give some friendly predictions - keep score and play for bragging rights.

Half Time games - get some games going at half time, these could be anything from football-oriented games, board games or even classics such as charades. 

Face painting for the kids -If kids are coming to the party, then they'll need to be entertained. Face painting is a fun activity that will keep them occupied (for a while).

So, now we've looked at some promising dates for your garden watch party, revealed the essentials that you'll need and how to get the most out of your World Cup experience. It's a time for celebration, fun, and togetherness, let's make the most of the weather and spend it with friends and family this World Cup period, after all, the biggest sporting event in the world only happens every four years. 

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