England are set to play some matches at the World Cup which will run long into night but a Government decision has just handed both fans and pubs a significant boost
The UK Government have confirmed that pubs in England and Wales will be allowed to stay open until as late as 2am for home nation matches during the World Cup. With the tournament taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, boozers were given a headache when kick-off times were confirmed in December.
Although England’s three group stage matches will start at the relatively usual times of 9pm, 9pm and 10pm, progression to the knockout phase could see the Three Lions play much later in the day. Fortunately, pubs will be able to remain open until either 1am or 2am depending on kick-off times.
The move comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves U-turned on business rates and gave pubs a lifeline. Announcing the extension, Treasury Minister Dan Tomlinson has hailed pubs as a ‘cornerstone’ of communities across the UK.
“I can also announce today that pubs and other license venues will be able to open until 1am or 2am depending on when the game starts for home nation games in the later stages of the men’s football World Cup,” Tomlinson confirmed.
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football’s Facebook page
READ MORE: Jamie Carragher names his England World Cup squad with brutal Arsenal snubREAD MORE: England told to ‘seriously consider’ World Cup boycott over Donald Trump actions
In line with the 2003 Licensing Act, pubs in the UK often close at 11pm. But the extension means that boozers can stay open until 2am for any quarter-final fixtures which start at 10pm, and until 1am for quarter-finals, semi-finals or the final starting at or before 9pm.
Matches which start after 10pm aren’t included in the Government’s extension, and as things stand, a temporary event notice would be required for them to stay open. Fans are already mapping out England’s many possible routes to the final and what time of night they’d be playing.
If England top Group L which contains Croatia, Panama and Ghana, their round-of-32 fixture will take place on Wednesday, July 1 at 5pm. Should Thomas Tuchel’s side advance, their last-16 match would be played at 1am on Sunday, July 5.
Who’ll win the World Cup? Give us your prediction in the comments section.
If both England and Brazil top their respective groups, they could meet in an epic quarter-final clash on Saturday, July 11. The match would kick-off at 10pm UK time.
Both semi-finals – Tuesday, July 14 and Wednesday, July 15 – are scheduled to start at 8pm UK time while the final on Sunday, July 19 will kick-off at 8pm. It’s not just England who’ll be playing in North America, though.
Scotland have already qualified while Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will take part in March’s play-offs. Should they follow England and Scotland across the channel, the tournament would no-doubt be even more lucrative for pubs.
Get those kegs ready.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us – and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
