Pubs in England and Wales are permitted to stay open until 5am for the England vs Mexico match on Monday, July 6, 2026.
The match, which is happening in Mexico City, kicks off at 1am and is expected to go on past 3am.
Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that pubs could stay open until the final whistle.
“Football might be coming home but we’re making sure fans don’t have to,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “We all know the best place to watch the match is down the local,” according to the BBC.
Normally, pubs have to apply to their local council to have their hours extended.
They need to apply at least five working days in advance, meaning it would have already been too late to apply once England vs Mexico match was announced.
There was resistance to the calls as licensing laws have already been extended to accommodate the FIFA World Cup.
That’s from 11pm to 1am for games with kick-offs from 5pm-9pm and until 2am for kick-offs after 9pm.
The decision to allow pubs to stay open until 5am is likely to be welcomed by fans who want to watch the match with others.
In practice, this development means that fans will have more flexibility in terms of where and when they watch the match, and pubs will have the opportunity to attract more customers.
This could lead to a more lively and festive atmosphere in pubs, which could be beneficial for the local community.
Pubs in England and Wales are subject to certain laws that govern their hours of operation.
Normally, these laws require pubs to close at a certain time, unless they have a special license to stay open later.
In this case, the government has decided to relax these laws temporarily to allow pubs to stay open until 5am for the England vs Mexico match.
Pubs will still need to follow the usual laws.
According to licensing laws, pubs are required to apply for a temporary licence to extend their hours.
However, in this case, the government has waived this requirement, allowing pubs to stay open later without needing to apply for a special licence.
The UK government has made an exception.
Related: Getting a virtual number in 2026 made simple
Related: Anthropic’s Mega-IPO Could Redefine AI Investment Race
