World Cup Guidance 2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a major opportunity to attract customers who want to watch live football matches in the great atmosphere provided by pubs and bars.
The tournament will be played from 11th June, culminating in the final on Sunday 19th July.
Because the tournament is hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the UK will face significant time zone differences. Games are scheduled to kick off as early as 5:00 PM, but many high-profile fixtures will start as late as 2:30 AM UK time.
When planning your trading hours, remember to factor in:
- Duration: Knockout games can last up to 4 hours including extra time and penalties.
- Licensable Activities: Ensure your permission for the sale of alcohol and "late-night refreshment" (hot food/drink) aligns with these late finishes.
The Government has introduced a contingent Licensing Hours Order for England and Wales, enabling communities to come together at local licensed premises to support qualifying home nations (England and Scotland) beyond the group stages of the tournament.
Where a home nation is playing, licensing hours are extended as follows:
- From 11:00pm to 1:00am for matches with a kick‑off between 5:00pm and 9:00pm
- From 11:00pm to 2:00am for matches with a kick‑off after 9:00pm and up to 10:00pm
These extensions apply to the following stages of the competition:
- Round of 32
- Round of 16
- Quarter‑finals
- Semi‑finals
- Bronze medal match
- Final
Matches starting before 5:00pm or after 10:00pm do not benefit from the national extension. In these circumstances, individual licensed on‑trade premises may apply for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) if they wish to remain open later.
Where no home nation is playing in a qualifying match, the Licensing Hours Order does not apply.
The Order allows licensed premises that are already authorised to trade until 11:00pm in England and Wales and
- for kick-offs from 5pm up to 9pm an extension between 11pm until 1am
- for kick-offs after 9pm and up to 10pm an extension between 11pm until 2am
for the sale and supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises, and for the provision of late‑night refreshment, subject to their existing premises licence conditions.
A flowchart showing England kick off dates and times, including standard and late TEN dates can be found here Licensing guidance for FIFA Men’s Football World Cup 2026 - Poppleston Allen