When England plays Norway in the World Cup quarter-final, fans in pubs across England and Wales won't have to rush home before the final whistle — even if the game starts late. The government has given pubs permission to stay open until 30 minutes after the game ends, so no one misses a single moment of the action.
The match is set to kick off at 22:00 BST (that's 6 PM local time) at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. Fans have been watching games that start late at night UK time, and the government wants to make sure nobody has to leave the pub early.
The change matters because the World Cup is being held across three countries — Mexico, Canada, and the United States — where summer temperatures can be scorching. In fact, England's earlier match against Mexico on July 2nd actually started an hour late because of heavy rain and lightning in Mexico City. That caused some confusion, and the government says it wants to prevent that kind of uncertainty this time around.
Policing Minister Sarah Jones said the extension means fans can watch the whole game together, whether their team wins or loses. "England fans deserve the chance to watch every minute of the quarter-final together, and that is exactly what our extension guarantees," she said. She added that she hoped pubs and bars would be "packed" as England "hopefully move one step closer to bringing football home."
This isn't just for one game. The Home Office confirmed on Saturday that the extended hours would apply to any future England matches in the tournament, including potentially the final. And unlike normal rules, venues don't need to fill out any paperwork or apply individually — it's a blanket rule that covers everyone.
Before this World Cup, licensing hours had already been stretched for fans. Pubs were allowed to stay open until 01:00 for games kicking off between 17:00 and 21:00, and until 02:00 for games starting between 21:00 and 22:00. The home secretary has the power to extend hours on occasions of "exceptional international, national or local significance" — and a World Cup quarter-final clearly counts.
Because of the heat and humidity in North America, FIFA — football's world governing body — has also required teams to take mandatory hydration breaks halfway through each half of every game. Players get a short break to drink water and cool down, which could mean the game runs even longer than usual.
For England fans, that extra half-hour after the final whistle means more time to celebrate a win, process a loss, or simply soak in the atmosphere with fellow supporters. The pub, it seems, has become part of England's World Cup strategy.