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The government has launched a six-week consultation on extending pub licensing hours for the FIFA Men’s World Cup 2026, allowing fans to watch quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final if a home nation progresses.
04 December 2025|Licensing
Insight
Pubs across England and Wales could enjoy extended opening hours next summer if a home nation progresses to the latter stages of the FIFA Men’s Football World Cup 2026.
The government has today (Thursday 4 December) launched a six-week public consultation to explore temporarily extending pub licensing hours to allow fans to watch and celebrate key matches. The consultation focuses on potential extensions for the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final.
If approved, licensing hours for the semi-finals and final could be extended until 1:00am, provided kick-off times are at 9:00pm or earlier. This adjustment would give supporters extra time to enjoy the matches responsibly while maintaining compliance with licensing regulations.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first to be hosted by three nations, USA, Canada, and Mexico, and the consultation reflects the government’s ongoing approach to manage licensing for events of “exceptional international, national or local significance.” Previous examples include the Women’s Euro 2025, the Men’s Euro 2024 final, and the Women’s Euro 2022 final.
The consultation will remain open until 15 January 2026, allowing the public, industry stakeholders, and licensed premises to provide feedback.
Full details on how to submit comments are available on the GOV.UK website.
By participating in the consultation, pubs and fans alike can have a say in how licensing hours are managed for one of the most anticipated sporting events of the decade.
Contact Us
For more information or guidance on how extended licensing hours could affect your venue during the FIFA Men’s World Cup 2026, please call us on 01332 226 198 or fill in the form below, and a member of our Licensing team will be in touch.
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