JD Wetherspoon is to put two plasma screen TV sets in all its 640 pubs at a cost of £2,500 per outlet.
But chief executive John Hutson denied the chain was seeking to cash in on this summer's World Cup.
He admitted the group would find it hard to compete with dedicated football pubs that have multiple TVs and large screens.
The televisions, he added, were aimed more at those customers who use the pubs in the morning for coffee and cooked breakfasts.
Until now Wetherspoon pubs have enforced a strict policy banning music and screens so that customers can enjoy a drink in peace.
The Independent on Sunday 22/01/06 (Business) page 4
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