Government Issues Pub Opening Times Update for England v Mexico on July 6

Pubs hoping to screen England’s last-16 World Cup clash with Mexico on Monday have been told they can open beyond standard licensing hours – but only if they secure the necessary permission from their local council first.

The fixture kicks off at 1am on 6th July, creating a headache for the trade.

During the tournament, the Home Office granted a national licensing hours relaxation covering matches at more conventional kick-off times: pubs in England and Wales can open until 1am for games starting between 5pm and 9pm, and until 2am for those kicking off between 9pm and 10pm.

However, this dispensation does not extend to fixtures beginning after 10pm, meaning the England v Mexico match falls outside the automatic relaxation.

As a result, individual pubs wishing to stay open must apply to their local authority for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN), potentially permitting trading until 3.30am should the match go to extra time and penalties.

Communities Secretary Steve Reed has written to councils urging them to approve such applications wherever possible. However, the final decision rests with individual licensing authorities, and operators have been warned that approval is not guaranteed.

Publicans are being urged to check the statutory notice requirements before applying, after at least one operator reportedly had a TEN application refused because it fell short of the required five working days’ notice ahead of the event – a reminder that councils have no discretion to waive the statutory timeframe, even where a request is otherwise supported.

Venues without a TEN already in place are advised to contact their local licensing team as a matter of urgency if they intend to serve alcohol beyond their standard licensed hours for the match.