Sportswear retailer JD Sports expects strong first-half profits as business is boosted by the World Cup.

It said the build-up to the biggest sporting event on the planet, which featured prominent in-store marketing from sportswear giants Adidas and Nike, gave trading a lift during the 18 weeks to 7 June.

It did not release precise like-for-like sales figures, saying it would be “potentially misleading.”

“However, we are certainly pleased with the underlying performance of this segment in the period to date,” it added.

The group, which owns outdoor retailers Blacks and Millets, will report its first-half results on 17 September.