Licensed premises in England and Scotland will be able to extend trading hours to 1am or 2am for late night fixtures, with Wales and Northern Ireland also eligible should they qualify.
The Home Office had previously indicated that extended hours would apply only to the final, but has now confirmed the measure will cover knockout games involving home nations.
Late start
The 2026 World Cup, which runs from 11 June to 19 July across the United States, Canada and Mexico, will feature kick off times at least five hours behind the UK, meaning some matches are expected to start at 10pm BST.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the move would ensure fans could watch matches in full.
“With later kick offs at this year’s World Cup, we don’t want to blow the final whistle before the winning goal,” she said.
‘Showing red tape the red card’
“So we’re showing red tape the red card and taking pub hours to extra time so fans can get another round in without missing a single kick.”
The Home Secretary has the power to extend licensing hours on occasions of “exceptional international, national or local significance”. The decision follows a six week public consultation.
UKHospitality chair Kate Nicholls said: “With the World Cup fast approaching, pubs and fans alike will be delighted to know they’ll be able to get behind the home nations and cheer them on from their local this summer. After all, the pub is the best place to watch the games if you can’t be there in person, and the government extending opening hours will help create a brilliant atmosphere for fans.
“I’m also pleased that the Home Office will be looking at how to streamline this process to ensure that pubs, fans and communities can benefit from extended opening hours during major events.”
The British Beer and Pub Association CEO Emma McClarkin told The Sun that the move is “a win for pubs, jobs and community spirit”.
England and Scotland have already qualified for the tournament, while Wales and Northern Ireland remain in contention through the play offs.
The announcement follows similar licensing extensions for major sporting events, including last year’s Women’s Euros and the men’s Euros final, and comes amid ongoing calls from trade bodies, including the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, for flexibility to help venues capitalise on late night fixtures.
Live sport continues to be a significant driver of trade, with previous industry data showing major football fixtures can deliver substantial uplifts in footfall and drinks sales for pubs.
