𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Pubs across England and Wales will be able to stay open until 5am for the England v Mexico World Cup match that kicks off at 1am on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer has announced.

MPs had called for leeway beyond the 2am extended pub opening hours already in place for England matches during the Football World Cup.

England will face Mexico in the Round of 16 after beating the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 on Wednesday but the next game in Mexico City begins at 1am BST and will not finish until after the previous extended hours provision.

The Prime Minister 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!”

The blanket extension means individual pubs do not need to apply for extended hours.

Communities Secretary Steve Reed has written to council leaders informing them of the changes.

Before the announcement, he had earlier urged them to sign off on pubs extending their hours to allow fans to watch to the end of the match, after claiming there were “still some councils that are saying no to the pubs”.

News of the extension was welcomed by those in the pub trade.

Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), said: “This pragmatic approach allows venues to focus on what matters most – bringing communities together to support the national team.

“Major sporting occasions like this deliver a significant boost to hospitality businesses while creating an atmosphere that unites the country.

“As England heads into one of the biggest games of the tournament, let’s get behind the team, support our local venues, and give the country something positive to celebrate.

“We hope this weekend marks not only a memorable occasion for England on the pitch, but also a much-needed boost for our hospitality sector and the communities it serves.”

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.

“This tournament is hugely important for our sector, so we’re delighted the Government listened to our concerns and acted so quickly.

“Now we can carry on being the home of live sport and welcoming fans through the door.”