The government has agreed to extend license reception hours to 30 minutes after the final whistle. This means drinkers in England and Wales can watch every moment of the match locally, even if there are delays, extra time or penalty shootouts.
This is not the first time the current government has made a last-minute decision on pub opening hours to coincide with the World Cup. Following the thrilling round of 16 victory over Mexico, facilities were allowed to stay open until 5am.
The latest enhancements give pubs and bars much-needed flexibility when screening football. In the event of bad weather, the 10pm kick-off could be significantly delayed.
According to AccuWeather, the maximum temperature will reach 33 degrees one hour before kickoff, and Real Feel is forecast to exceed 40 degrees, but there is a 50% chance of rain. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stipulates that games must be canceled if lightning or electrical discharges are detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium.
Lightning must have been recorded within the same radius for 30 minutes to resume play. Once this condition is met, supporters will be allowed to return to their seats in the stands while the players emerge for a 15-minute warm-up.
According to a reporter from The Athletic, FIFA previously said, “FIFA’s emergency response team meets regularly with national weather bureaus and emergency management authorities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as partners in all 16 host cities.”
“Comprehensive tournament-wide preparedness training focused on severe weather scenarios further strengthened interagency coordination and operational preparedness. Stadiums are required to maintain robust risk management and evacuation procedures, including lightning and severe weather protocols in line with local laws and international best practices.”
Whichever England or Norway wins, they will face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-finals. The latter clash begins just hours after the Three Lions take on the Norwegians, with the match scheduled to start at 2am BST.
