FIFA World Cup 2026

The Government has confirmed extended licensing hours for certain FIFA World Cup 2026 matches involving a Home Nation team, allowing pubs in England and Wales to stay open later without necessarily needing a Temporary Event Notice (TEN).  

To help pubs and bars prepare for the World Cup, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has issued guidance setting out best practice and practical steps for licensees. We strongly recommend our licensees read the guidance and contact us if you have any queries.

Key points for licensees

This will only apply to premises with either a premises licence or a club premises certificate which permits the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises until at least 11pm on the date of the match.

Premises need to be very careful should one of the home nations reach the final because the Order only extends the hours for premises which are licensed to sell alcohol until 11pm on Sunday 19 July 2026. There will be many pubs which are only licensed to 10.30pm on a Sunday and, therefore, the Order will not extend the hours for those pubs for the final if the pub is only licensed until 10.30pm. The only way to extend the hours for those pubs on the day of the final therefore would be by way of a Temporary Event Notice..

Extended hours will apply to selected knockout matches where England or Scotland are playing. Group matches are not included

Premises will generally be able to sell alcohol until:

• 1am for matches kicking off between 5pm and 9pm
• 2am for matches kicking off after 9pm up to 10pm

The relaxation applies to on-sales only and covers England or Scotland in the following matches:

• Round of 32
• Round of 16
• Quarter-finals
• Semi-finals
• Bronze medal match
• Final

Matches kicking off before 5pm or after 10pm are not included.

If a venue wishes to benefit from an extension for any match not covered by the extension, they will need to apply for a Temporary Event Notice. Please do this as soon as possible to make sure it is received and processed in good time.

Safety and security

The World Cup always brings a fantastic atmosphere to pubs and other hospitality venues and with the right planning in place, licensees can help customers enjoy the tournament safety whilst making the most of a busy trading opportunity.

Before the tournament starts, licensees are encouraged to:

• Review staffing levels and consider additional SIA security where appropriate
• Check CCTV, incident logs and communication systems are fully operational
• Put measures in place to manage queues, crowd control and safe dispersal at closing time
• Monitor alcohol consumption and continue to uphold Challenge 25 and refusal policies
• Liaise with local police, licensing officers and Pubwatch schemes where relevant
• Consider noise management and the impact on nearby residents, particularly after late-night matches
• Make sure staff are aware of the current terrorism threat level and understand how and what to report.

Operators remain responsible for promoting the four licensing objectives throughout the tournament.