Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reversed the government's position on Thursday afternoon, announcing that pubs in England and Wales could stay open until 5am on Monday to let fans watch England's World Cup round‑of‑16 match against Mexico. Just hours earlier, business minister Kate Dearden had told the House of Commons the government would “unfortunately” not relax licensing rules for the 1am kick‑off – a response to a question from Liberal Democrat MP Max Wilkinson, who said pubs would “miss out on a real opportunity to get money in the till”.
The match at Mexico City’s Azteca stadium kicks off at 1am UK time and is not expected to finish until after 3am. England reached the last 16 after captain Harry Kane scored two late goals to beat the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2‑1 in Atlanta on Wednesday night. “Football might be coming home but we’re making sure fans don’t have to,” Starmer said. “Pubs staying open till the final whistle is good news for supporters and good news for the pubs and venues that bring our communities together. The whole country will be backing the team. Come on England!”
“Starmer allows pubs in England and Wales to stay open until 5am Monday for England's 1am World Cup match against Mexico.”
The Home Office will use legislative power to extend alcohol licensing hours on the grounds of “exceptional international, national or local significance”. Local Government Secretary Steve Reed said the government was passing emergency legislation through parliament on Friday, adding: “This is one of the fastest changes in the law that we’ve seen.” Earlier, Reed had urged council leaders to sign off on extensions, claiming there were “still some councils that are saying no to the pubs”.
The blanket extension means individual premises no longer need to apply to their local council five working days in advance. Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “Pubs and fans will be over the moon about this decision, because we all know the best place to watch the match is down the local.” Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, called it “fantastic news” that would be “hugely welcomed by operators”. The U-turn followed a fierce backlash that included a plea from Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, who urged local authorities to work with the hospitality industry.
While pubs prepare for a long night, the education secretary has cautioned against letting children miss school. England manager Thomas Tuchel had urged families to “write an excuse for school and let them watch football”. But Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “It’s a late game, but children can be in school the next day.” Meanwhile, a poll by the Evening Standard found that around 35% of Londoners admitted they would bunk off work on Monday after the match.