Football Fans To Raise A Glass For The World Cup As Pubs Granted Extended Opening Hours

Football fans will be able to roar on the Three Lions at the World Cup this summer thanks to extended opening hours – and a call for councils not to block their fun.

England’s group games against Croatia, Ghana and Panama start at either 21:00 or 22:00 BST, but other countries’ matches will begin at times including midnight, 03:00 or 02:00 – including Scotland’s opening match against Haiti on Sunday.

The government has confirmed national licensing extensions for pubs showing home nation’s games during the knockout stages.

However, operators planning to screen FIFA World Cup matches should be aware that there is currently no blanket extension to licensed trading hours for the tournament’s group-stage fixtures.

As a result, pubs, bars and other licensed venues will be required to continue operating within the hours permitted under their existing premises licences. For many venues holding a standard 11pm licence, this will generally allow them to accommodate matches with kick-off times up to 9pm without requiring any additional permissions.

For fixtures scheduled later in the evening, operators wishing to remain open beyond their usual licensed hours may need to secure a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) or other appropriate authorisation from their local licensing authority. Industry observers anticipate that many venues will explore this option for high-profile matches expected to generate significant customer demand.

Consumers intending to watch late-night fixtures are advised to check directly with their chosen venue in advance, as opening arrangements may vary depending on local licensing permissions and whether an extension has been obtained.

The position changes should England or Scotland progress to the knockout stages of the tournament.

In those circumstances, a Government-approved relaxation of licensing hours has been introduced for venues in England and Wales screening matches involving either national team. This measure allows premises with a standard 11pm alcohol licence to continue trading later than usual without the need to submit individual applications for temporary extensions.

Communities Secretary Steve Reed is calling on local leaders to deal with sensible applications quickly for pubs to open later and hold special screenings and events in beer gardens, allowing supporters to celebrate a goal in style.

This builds on the latest extension to opening hours, with pubs able to stay open until 1am for England or Scotland matches in the knockout stages that kick off between 5pm and 9pm – and until 2am for kick-offs between 9pm and 10pm.

Precious pavement pints – a staple for people enjoying the sunny weather – will also be backed today with a commitment to make it easier for pubs to serve food and drink outside in future by cutting back unnecessary bureaucracy.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Nothing brings us all together like a World Cup summer and cheering on England in a packed pub with everyone glued to the game.
Red tape should not get in the way of fans enjoying the game with friends and local pubs doing a great trade too.

“A pavement pint in the sunshine discussing the agony of penalties and soaking up the atmosphere is what pubs are all about and we are backing them.
Let’s hope we get a summer of fans enjoying great England wins on the big screen in packed pub gardens.”

Communities Secretary Steve Reed said: “The best World Cup moments are the ones we watch together, and for every England game we need to pack out our local pubs and get them buzzing.
We’re asking councils to support as many applications for special events as possible, because the last thing any of us want to see is people being turfed indoors half-way through penalties.
So let’s show the fun police the red card, get behind England and back our pubs. This time, it really could be coming home.”

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: “With some councils imposing pub garden closing times based on strict noise concerns, we’re asking them to apply a common sense approach during our crucial knockout matches so fans can back our team and support their local pubs.
Local leaders are being asked to sign-off as many requests for Temporary Event Notices as possible. It will be for councils to ultimately make these decisions and they will have to balance other factors.
But authorities who unnecessarily block people from getting together or holding things up will be held to account by the government.

“Further measures have also been put forward to extend how long pavement licences can last for – keeping the pints flowing outside and backing meals in the sunshine.
Currently, businesses find themselves constantly reapplying for a pavement licence to serve food and drink outside. The licence costs £350 to renew, adding an unnecessary and expensive burden on businesses.

“The reforms announced today will put an end to that, increasing the maximum term length in future and we will consult on a minimum term length. It will still be up to councils to decide the exact duration of specific licences.

“This builds on the work being undertaken to breathe new life into high streets and restore the pride people feel about their home, including through the £5.8 billion Pride in Place programme which is backing local people to drive regeneration in almost 380 areas.”

Hospitality businesses are encouraged to review fixture schedules carefully and ensure they understand the licensing requirements applicable to each stage of the competition, particularly where later kick-off times are involved.