Thursday 02 July 2026 10:45 am
| Updated:
Thursday 02 July 2026 10:31 am
Pubs will be forced to kick punters out at half time when England play Mexico
Pubs will be forced to kick punters out at half time when England play Mexico in the early hours of Monday morning, City AM can confirm. England’s 1am showdown with the co-hosts early on Monday morning will mean that pubs may only be allowed to show the first half before closing, despite a special licensing rule that extended opening hoursThe Three Lions secured their place in the Round of 16 after beating the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 on Wednesday night. The game against Mexico is set to be played in the 87,0000-capacity Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, which is seven hours behind the UK. England fans hoping to stay out late in their local boozer after the government boasted about special events licensing that allows pubs to close as late as 2am may not be able to. Individual pubs need approval from councils to stay open beyond the new cut-off.Sir Keir Starmer also said “red tape should not get in the way of fans enjoying the game with friends and local pubs doing a great trade too”.“As well as relaxing licensing rules so that pubs can serve until 2am for World Cup matches without asking for permission,” a government spokesperson told City AM. “Secretary of state Steve Reed has written to councils to encourage them to sign off applications for pubs to extend their hours even further for these late games – so that fans can enjoy the football.”Pubs set for batteringSeveral pubs have been granted extended opening hours to show more World Cup games, an industry source said, but some establishments have had their 5am extension requests denied by local councils.Only a small number of venues, such as nightclubs that can show football, will be able to show the crucial Round of 16 game.The government has been urged to grant one extra special licence to allow fans to watch at pubs. Ros Morgan, chief executive of Heart of London Business Alliance, which represents over 500 firms, said “it makes sense” for the government to show flexibility and allow pubs and bars to remain open for the duration of the match. “The current national licensing extension to 2am is welcome, but it won’t be sufficient for matches kicking off at 1am,” Morgan added.“A simple, one-off extension would give businesses certainty, allow fans to enjoy the occasion safely in licensed venues rather than dispersing early, and help hospitality businesses make the most of a rare economic opportunity.”
