Extended Hours for World Cup Match
Pubs across England and Wales will have the option to remain open until 5am on Monday for the England versus Mexico World Cup match. This decision follows an intervention by Keir Starmer, allowing for extended alcohol licensing hours for the round of 16 tie. The match is scheduled to kick off at 1am UK time and is expected to conclude around 3am.
The government’s initial stance had been to not relax rules for pubs that had not applied for temporary event notices at least five working days in advance. However, after a significant backlash from MPs and pub owners, including London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the decision was reversed on Thursday afternoon.
The Home Secretary is set to utilise legislative power that permits the extension of licensing hours for occasions deemed to be of “exceptional international, national or local significance.” The Communities Secretary, Steve Reed, is informing council leaders about these changes. Previously, rules had been relaxed for matches kicking off between 5pm and 9pm, allowing pubs to stay open until 1am, and until 2am for kick-offs after 9pm.
Challenges for Pub Owners
Despite the government’s blanket extension, which removes the need for individual pubs to apply for extended hours, many establishments are still expected to remain closed for the early morning fixture. Issues such as arranging staffing and concerns about disturbing residents in built-up areas are cited as primary reasons for this decision.
Wetherspoons, a major pub chain, indicated that only five of its 800 pubs would be open for the match. Similarly, Greene King, which operates 2,600 pubs, restaurants, and hotels across the UK, stated that over 600 of its pubs in England would be open late to screen the game.
Tommy Higgs, co-owner of The Three Horseshoes pub in Witney, Oxfordshire, confirmed his pub would not be opening. He expressed concerns about the noise impact on local residents at 5am, stating, “We’re in a built-up community around here, and I think it’s just a little bit disrespectful for our locals to have that sort of noise at 5am.”
Mr. Higgs also highlighted staffing difficulties, noting that many of his staff work part-time and have second jobs, making it unreasonable to expect them to work until the early hours of the morning. He acknowledged that while the extended hours might benefit larger venues in cities, it is not practical for smaller, local pubs like his own.
Industry Reaction and Community Impact
The hospitality sector has largely welcomed the government’s decision to extend opening hours. Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), expressed delight, stating that pubs and fans would be pleased with the outcome. She emphasised the importance of the tournament for the sector and the role pubs play as a central place for fans to watch live sports.
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), also praised the decision, noting that it would be well-received by operators. He highlighted that the government had responded to public support for England and recognised the challenges faced by licensed premises across the country.
However, the BBPA had previously reported a decline in the number of pubs in the UK, with figures falling from 46,829 in 2020 to 44,656 in 2025. This context underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the pub trade, even with supportive measures like extended opening hours for major sporting events.
The England team secured their spot in the last 16 after defeating the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 on Wednesday, setting up the fixture against Mexico.
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Source: independent.co.uk
Dominic Hayes is the Sports News Writer at NewsGB, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with five years of reporting experience. He started on a north-east sports desk. He holds a degree in Journalism from Teesside University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Middlesbrough, he follows pro golf and amateur boxing. “Fast and accurate is the only standard worth keeping.”
