Will the pubs be open if England play Mexico on Monday morning? | Football | Sport

Pubs in England are permitted to open late to broadcast the potential World Cup knockout match against Mexico on Monday, July 6. However, they are not allowed to do so automatically and must secure explicit, written permission first.

The Home Office previously granted pubs blanket permission to stay open until 1am normally, or 2am for late kick-offs. However, the Department for Communities and Local Government confirmed this 2am rule only applies to matches kicking off between 9pm and 10pm, meaning the 1am kickoff does not qualify.

To legally show the game, landlords must apply directly to their local council for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN). This would grant them individual permission to extend their licensing hours, potentially allowing them to stay open until 3:30am in the event of extra time and penalties.

The government is actively encouraging councils to support the hospitality sector for the game. Secretary of State for Communities Steve Reed has already written to local authorities across the country, urging them to approve the late-night applications submitted by local venues.

The ultimate decision rests with local councils, and strict legal deadlines are already causing issues. For example, one landlord’s application was rejected by his council because it was submitted with only four working days of notice, failing to meet the mandatory five working day statutory requirement.