Starmer allows England’s World Cup match with Mexico with late-night pub openings until 5 a.m.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Thursday that pubs and bars in England and Wales will be allowed to remain open until 5 a.m. on Monday to show England’s World Cup round-of-16 match against Mexico. The order is intended to cover late viewing hours because the game kicks off very early Monday morning UK time, with officials pointing to the unusually timed broadcast as the basis for the temporary change.

The extension, approved by the government ahead of the match, would let licensed premises keep trading past their normal closing times so supporters can gather to watch the national team. The announcement came as organizers and publicans faced demand for extended screening hours for what is expected to be a high-attendance viewing event.

The match is scheduled to begin at 1 a.m. UK time, two hours after the usual 3 a.m. closing times that apply in many areas under standard licensing rules. Because of that mismatch between broadcast and licensing hours, the government moved to adjust the rules for the specific night of the contest rather than relying on fans to watch only at home or earlier in the evening.

Media reports said the measure followed scrutiny of whether the usual licensing framework would leave venues unable to accommodate the match-time schedule. In the reporting around the government decision, coverage described an emergency-style legislative approach to extend the permitted opening hours for the relevant premises on Monday morning.

The government decision affects England and Wales, with the stated practical effect being that licensed venues can serve customers later than typical hours to allow public viewing of the match. Licensing rules are generally designed around public order, noise controls, and staffing and transport planning, and a temporary extension shifts those normal constraints for a narrowly defined period tied to a major sporting event.

Public safety and local enforcement remain part of the licensing system even when hours are extended, and the change does not eliminate other requirements that venues must meet under existing licensing conditions. Police and local authorities retain roles in handling disorder or breaches, while premises are expected to manage crowd control and comply with conditions attached to their licenses.

The policy shift will apply for the specific match window, giving venues a clear deadline for Monday morning when the extended hours end. After the England-Mexico game, normal licensing hours are expected to return, leaving the weekend as the only period with the broadened opening window tied to the tournament’s scheduling.