Irish mobile data traffic surged during World Cup final

Meanwhile Vodafone Ireland roaming customers recorded a peak 39% increase in mobile data usage during the England-Argentina semi-final

Spain’s Rodri lifts the world cup final trophy alongside his teammates following the FIFA World Cup 2026 final at the New York-New Jersey Stadium. Picture date: Sunday July 19, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Nick Potts/PA Wire.

Irish mobile data usage surged during the World Cup Final, with Vodafone Ireland recording a 32% increase in mobile data traffic, compared with an average Sunday evening.

Vodafone Ireland said that over the course of the tournament, customers in Ireland generated an additional 995TB of mobile data traffic during World Cup matches – the equivalent to approximately 133,000 hours of 4K video streaming or downloading 187m songs.

The highest level of network traffic recorded during the tournament was 40% higher than Vodafone’s average daily peak, the company said.

"The Fifa World Cup Final was one of the busiest moments on our network this year, with customers across Ireland and abroad streaming coverage, sharing reactions and staying connected throughout the match," said Vodafone Ireland network director Sheila Kavanagh. "The sustained increase in traffic we saw across the tournament highlights how quickly data consumption continues to grow."

Demand extended beyond Ireland's borders, with Vodafone Ireland roaming customers recording a peak 39% increase in mobile data usage during the England-Argentina match.

Vodafone Ireland said it is investing €200m in its mobile network and €360m in its digital infrastructure in Ireland. The company has 2.4m customers across its mobile and broadband operations. "Ongoing investment in network capacity and resilience remains so important, ensuring customers can rely on fast and reliable connectivity wherever they are," said Ms Kavanagh.