Sir Keir Starmer executed a Cruyff turn of his own on Thursday, reversing the government's earlier decision and allowing pubs in England and Wales to stay open until 5am for England's World Cup round-of-16 match against Mexico. The U-turn came just days after ministers insisted they would not relax licensing laws further for the tournament.
The match in Mexico City kicks off at 1am UK time and is not expected to finish until after 3am. Before the change, pubs would have been forced to kick punters out at half time under existing extended hours that only allowed opening until 2am for late kick-offs.
“Pubs can stay open until 5am for England's World Cup match after Sir Keir Starmer reversed his earlier decision.”
"Football might be coming home but we're making sure fans don't have to," Starmer said on Thursday afternoon, framing the decision as good news for both supporters and pubs. Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, welcomed the move: "We all know the best place to watch the match is down the local."
The government had initially said it would not go beyond the already relaxed licensing hours for the World Cup, which allowed pubs to stay open until 1am for games with kick-offs between 5pm and 9pm, and until 2am for those with kick-offs between 9pm and 10pm. Normally, individual pubs must apply to their local council at least five working days in advance for extended opening hours.
However, the late-night festivities come with warnings. The motoring organisation RAC urged fans not to drive until fully rested and hydrated. "Tiredness, dehydration and alcohol can be a lethal combination behind the wheel," said spokesperson Rod Dennis, adding that people may need to wait "much later in the day" before driving. The hot weather expected this weekend compounds the risk, making dehydration a higher danger when combined with alcohol.
Employers have also been advised to set "clear expectations" for the work day on Monday. David D'Souza, director of profession at the CIPD, which represents HR professionals, said: "Employers are under no obligation to make special arrangements around World Cup matches. Employees should not assume arrangements will automatically be available."