UK pubs cleared to stay open until 5am for England vs Mexico World Cup clash

Pubs and bars across England and Wales will be permitted to stay open until 5am on Monday, July 6, after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced an emergency licensing extension to cover England’s 1am BST World Cup round-of-16 fixture against Mexico.

The decision reverses a position stated only hours earlier by business minister Kate Dearden, who had indicated that licensing laws would not be relaxed for the late-night match. Following swift backlash from the public, MPs, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Starmer intervened and confirmed that venues would be allowed to remain open until the final whistle — including any extra time and a potential penalty shootout, meaning the game could run well past 3am.

The Home Secretary is using special legislative powers that permit the extension of standard operating hours during events of exceptional national significance. A statutory instrument is being laid in parliament to formalise the change, with council leaders also being formally notified.

The last-minute nature of the announcement had already caused difficulties for many independent pub owners. A number had missed the five-day deadline to apply for individual temporary event notices, and several councils had rejected late requests, leaving venues facing a legal obligation to close by 2am.

The British Beer and Pub Association welcomed the reversal, noting that the tournament has already delivered a significant multi-million-pound boost to the hospitality sector. The association emphasised that the local pub remains the preferred venue for fans to watch major international matches together.

England’s round-of-16 tie against Mexico is confirmed to kick off at 1am BST, after speculation on Friday that the fixture might be moved forward to a 7pm UK start time.