With the World Cup now under way, Sofa.com has revealed it saw a surge in cinema‑style sofa orders placed earlier this year, as Britons prepared their living rooms to be ‘game‑ready’ for the tournament.
"The trend reflects the growing importance of the sofa in British homes," says the retailer. "Brits now spend 23 full days a year on their sofa – around 90 minutes every day – making it the second most‑used piece of furniture after the bed.
"Time spent on the sofa has risen 30% since 2012, driven by streaming services, home‑centric entertainment and major cultural moments like the World Cup.
"With 18 million homes subscribed to streaming platforms and UK cinema attendance down 28%, the sofa has become the nation’s preferred place to watch films, binge boxsets and now cheer on England. Sofa.com’s cinema‑style sofas – including corner designs and chaise sofas with wider seats, plush armrests and space for drinks and snacks – have become match‑day favourites for families hosting long viewing sessions and late‑night kick‑offs."
Sunayna Azam, Sofa.com's newly appointed MD, adds: “Big national moments change buying behaviour, and the World Cup is no exception. It’s clear that households prepared early in the year to get their living rooms game‑ready. Consumers are choosing bigger, more comfortable sofas because home has become the preferred place to watch major events together.”
Pets are also influencing the modern sofa. Since lockdown, Brits have welcomed 8.3 million new pets, and 53% of owners let them share the couch, says Sofa.com, with 78% even assigning their animal its own seat. Sofa.com says it has seen a 9% rise in family sofas with an added pet seat for the cat, dog or rabbit: "Popular choices for pet lovers include modular sofas and larger three- and four-seat settees. For homes that do not allow pets to jump onto the couch, sofa.com offers a range of pet sofas.
"Consumers are also using their sofa as the hub of the house – including for dining and sleeping on. With UK new-build homes shrinking by an average of a quarter since the 1970s, most new houses and flats no longer have a dining room or space for a full kitchen table, so Brits are eating on their sofas instead. The popularity of food delivery services such as Uber Eats and Deliveroo has seen sales of wipe-clean sofa fabric soar, as shoppers choose styles which are easy to keep clear.
"Recliner sofas, a 1960s favourite, are firmly back in fashion, with many households now using them as an additional sleeping space. New research shows that almost a quarter of Britons (23%) regularly nap on their sofa, a habit that’s becoming even more common as families make room for young adults returning home while saving for a house deposit."
Sunayna concludes: “The modern British sofa is a multifunctional, one-stop shop. It’s a meeting place, eating place, sleeping place and the hub of the home for the family to gather on. The ideal modern design incorporates big seats, extra space for pets and friends, a flat area for food and drink and enough comfort to double up as a bed too. It’s a big change from its original function as a formal seat, but reflects exactly how British life is evolving to become more relaxed and informal.”
Pictured: Otto, Sofa.com's sofa of the month, June 2026
