The Three Lions will face Mexico at 1am on Monday in the Round of 16 of the World Cup after defeating the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 in a heartbreaking match on Wednesday.
Pubs will be allowed to stay open until 5am to allow fans to watch England’s World Cup match against England in the early morning hours.
Manager Keir Starmer stepped in to show the revelers the Three Lions will take on Mexico in the round of 16, kicking off at 1am on Monday. In a major boost to the hospitality industry, alcohol licensing rules will be extended, meaning pubs and bars in England and Wales will no longer need to apply for a special late license.
England’s match at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium is scheduled to end shortly after 3am, but could start even later if the game goes to penalties. The football-mad Prime Minister has taken steps to further ease licensing laws, allowing all liquor shops in England and Wales to remain open until the final whistle.
Pubs have responded to calls for permission to open later from 1am for England vs Mexico (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Starmer said: “Football may be coming back home, but we are making sure fans don’t have to go home. “The fact that pubs stay open until the final whistle is good news for supporters and good news for the pubs and venues that bring our communities together.”
“The whole country is rooting for the team. Good luck England!”
Pub closing times had already been extended to 2am in preparation for England’s knock-off match, which kicks off just before 10pm. However, the rule did not apply to Monday’s game because of the late kickoff.
Individual pubs would have had to apply to parliament for an extraordinary event notice if they wanted to remain open, but that deadline had already passed when England defeated the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Wednesday night.
Interior Minister Shabana Mahmoud plans to use legal powers to extend licensing time, which would apply in cases of “exceptional international, national or local importance”.
Harry Kane celebrates with teammate Jude Bellingham after scoring against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Image: Getty Images)
Communities Secretary Steve Reid has written to council leaders informing them of the changes. Before the announcement, he had asked city officials to approve extending pub hours to allow fans to watch the game until the end.
Emma McClurkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “Pubs and fans will be delighted with this decision as we all know the best place to watch a match is locally.”
“This tournament is so important to our industry that we are pleased that the Government listened to our concerns and acted quickly.”
Kate Nicholls, chairman of UK Hospitality, said: “England’s march towards World Cup glory is one that millions of fans want to support.
“This very welcome announcement from the Government will mean that people who want to enjoy the game will be able to gather and support the Three Lions in pubs and other hospitality venues.”
Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Industry Association (NTIA), said: “Major sporting events like this create an atmosphere that unites the country and at the same time provides a huge boost to hospitality businesses.”
“As England take on one of the biggest games in the competition, let’s support our team, support our local venues and give the country something positive to celebrate.”
Starmer last month left open the possibility of a bank holiday if England win the World Cup. Asked at last month’s G7 summit whether he intended to give fans a break, the prime minister told reporters: “I’m not trying to jinx the World Cup, but as you know, the last time we won the World Cup it was a Labor government.
“So it’s clear that we can only win the World Cup under a Labor government. So let’s hope this is the next time.”
In 2022, the Prime Minister backed calls for the Conservative Government to give the Lionesses an additional bank holiday if they win the Euro finals. But No10 said on Monday he would not commit to a bank holiday if England roared to victory.
