Pubs across England and Wales will be permitted to remain open until 5am on Monday to accommodate fans watching England's World Cup last-16 match against Mexico, which kicks off at 1am UK time. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the blanket extension on Thursday, removing the need for individual pubs to apply for extended hours.
Match Time and Background
England face Mexico on Sunday evening local time, but the time difference means UK viewers will see the match start at 1am on Monday morning. For a brief period, there were hopes the match might be moved forward to 7pm Sunday UK time due to weather forecasts, but officials confirmed no change would be made. This leaves supporters facing a sleepless night if they wish to watch live.
MPs had urged flexibility beyond the existing 2am extended pub opening hours already in effect for England fixtures during the World Cup. Communities Secretary Steve Reed wrote to council leaders informing them of the changes, having earlier urged councils to approve extended hours and noting that some councils were still refusing requests.
Government and Industry Reaction
Prime Minister Starmer said: "Football might be coming home, but we're making sure fans don't have to. 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!"
Despite the rule change, many pubs are expected to stay closed. Owners cite staffing difficulties and proximity to residential areas as reasons. Wetherspoon confirmed only five of its 800 pubs will open for the match. Greene King, with 2,600 venues, said more than 600 of its pubs across England will stay open late to screen the game.
Local Pub Concerns
Tommy Higgs, co-owner of The Three Horseshoes pub in Witney, Oxfordshire, told LBC he would not open: "We're in a built-up community around here and I think it's just a little bit disrespectful for our locals to have that sort of noise at 5am. No one's going to want to work until five in the morning. We're not a nightclub, we're a local pub in a small town." He added that many staff have second jobs and he would not expect them to work such hours, calling the government move "completely pointless" for his pub.
Industry Data and Fan Guidance
The British Beer and Pub Association revealed earlier this year that the number of UK pubs fell from 46,829 in 2020 to 44,656 in 2025. Andrew Gallagher, brand and marketing director at Greene King, said: "We're delighted to have been granted permission to stay open late as England progress through the tournament. There's nothing quite like the atmosphere in our pubs and it gives fans the chance to come together, soak up the occasion and hopefully celebrate!" He urged guests to secure their spots early.
England advanced to the last 16 after a 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Wednesday.
