Great tournaments are won just as they are enjoyed: one match at a time. And this year, from 11 June to 19 July, you won't want to miss a single kick-off. That means more hours with the TV on, running the air conditioning to beat the heat, and likely higher lighting costs, as some matches will be broadcast late at night in Spain.

It will all be worth it, without a doubt. But since saving money requires just as much strategy as football, at Endesa we've crunched the numbers to show you exactly how your match-day decisions will impact the final score: your electricity bill.

The longest tournament in history also means more time on the sofa

We've been waiting four years, and that wait has paid off with the longest football event in history: 60 extra hours of play, not counting extra time or penalties. A massive 9,360 thrilling minutes, where your TV and sofa will have to put in a serious shift. The same goes for your fridge, microwave, and air fryer – because football without snacks is just a game. And, of course, your living room lighting and air conditioning.

Retailers report that sofa sales jump by 15% to 30% during tournaments of this scale, partly thanks to the host effect: football is the perfect excuse to gather family and friends at home, which calls for a bit of a living room upgrade.

TV sales also rise by up to 10%, according to major brands, driven mostly by the desire for an immersive experience. Larger screens with better picture and sound quality are replacing older models that simply aren't up to the task of broadcasting the national team's goals.

Next up is air conditioning, stepping onto the pitch as the third key player – whether you have a house full of guests or prefer the peace and quiet to analyse every pass in absolute concentration. In fact, as we'll see, cooling your home could have the biggest impact on your total electricity costs during the tournament.

And when half-time hits, other appliances come into play. Opening and closing the fridge, firing up air fryers, ceramic hobs, or microwaves, and turning on the lights all create the demand spikes that have become a hallmark of major sports broadcasts.

It all adds up on your bill. But is it as much as you'd think? Let's break it down.

The formula: how to calculate the cost of watching the tournament

First, the good news: unlike other football events, all the national team’s matches will be broadcast on free-to-air TV.

However, looking at the combined consumption of your appliances, watching this year's event from start to finish at home with guests could cost you around €40.50 in electricity:

How kick-off times affect your electricity bill

The matches will kick off between 12:00 and 21:00 local time. However, depending on the stadium, the time difference with Peninsular Spain could be anywhere from 6 to 9 hours.

This means most of the schedule overlaps with the highest electricity price bands, while others fall between peak and off-peak hours, or – in a few lucky cases – kick off late at night, meaning cheaper electricity.

If you just want to focus on your team's results without worrying about the bill, the smartest move is a tariff that offers stable savings on electricity prices, like Endesa's Conecta Light Tariff or Light 24h Online Tariff. It's the best way to enjoy the festival of football in style, keeping your final energy costs firmly in check.