Sir Keir Starmer has moved to let pubs across England and Wales stay open until 5 am for England’s last-16 World Cup clash with Mexico, according to a report.
The Prime Minister used a statutory power to allow venues to remain open for what officials are treating as an event of “national significance,” meaning pubs will not need to apply for a licence.
The move follows reports in The Sun that Starmer could negotiate an emergency law after the standard window for Temporary Event Notices closed before England had even secured its place in the knockout rounds.
With the Azteca Stadium kick-off set for 1am Monday, publicans had faced the prospect of ejecting fans mid-match.
But behind the headline relief, licensees now face a scramble few are discussing: staffing an all-night shift with less than 48 hours’ notice. Overtime pay, transport for staff after last trains, and security cover all add unplanned costs that smaller, independent pubs may struggle to absorb even with the legal green light.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, welcomed the decision, saying pubs and fans “will be over the moon,” and calling the tournament “hugely important” for the sector.
Yet industry figures privately note that permission to open is not the same as the resources to do so safely.
The political theatre around the decision has been sharp. Reform’s Robert Jenrick branded the earlier confusion “ridiculous,” demanding ministers simply decree that pubs could open late, while Liberal Democrat MP Max Wilkinson warned pubs stood to lose takings without a blanket extension.
Starmer, for his part, struck a lighter tone, saying “football might be coming home, but we’re making sure fans don’t have to.”
🚨 WATCH: Keir Starmer officially announces pubs can stay open for the 1am England match against Mexico on Monday pic.twitter.com/ZsPmRtqfcS
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) July 2, 2026
For local authorities and police, the bigger question now shifts to public order and transport capacity in the early hours, an overlooked strain as thousands pour out of venues near dawn.
With England’s fortunes at the Azteca uncertain, the legislation’s success will be judged not just on goals scored, but on how smoothly the night unfolds. Updates are expected as the kick-off nears.
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