GOAL! INVESTORS LINE UP

Soccer's global showcase represents massive business opportunities on and off the pitch

The World Cup is a massive money-spinner, and stock-market players are busy picking brewers, betting firms, pub chains and sportswear brands that will benefit from the associated global spending surge.

The world's biggest sporting event is unlikely to make or break companies, but it gives them the chance to reach new customers and showcase new products, potentially locking in revenue streams beyond the end of the month-long tournament that kicked off on Thursday in Russia.