Relaxation of licensing hours for the Men's Football World Cup 2026

When a home nation is playing, we will extend licensing hours:

• from 11pm to 1am for kick-offs from 5pm up to 9pm
• from 11pm to 2am for kick-offs after 9pm up to 10pm

for the:

• round of 32
• round of 16
• quarter-finals
• semi-finals
• bronze medal match
• final

Matches starting before 5pm or after 10pm will not benefit from a national extension. Individual licensed on-trade venues can apply for temporary event notices so their venue can stay open longer.

If no home nation is playing in any matches that qualify for the extension, the order will not apply.

This instrument will allow licensed premises in England and Wales already licensed to 11pm, and subject to their existing licence conditions, to remain open for the sale and supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises and provision of late-night refreshment.

We made this decision after considering the response to this consultation and carrying out 2 further targeted consultations.

The Home Office would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation on the contingent relaxation of licensing hours during the semi-final and final of the FIFA Men’s Football World Cup 2026.

38 complete responses were received to the original consultation and have been analysed below. In addition, 20 partial responses were received and were discounted from this analysis having been deemed invalid.