England game Sunday has triggered a late licensing change that lets pubs in England and Wales stay open until 5am for England’s World Cup match against Mexico. Keir Starmer announced the move on Thursday, but police leaders say the timing has left forces scrambling to adapt plans.
Mark Roberts on late shifts
Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for football policing, said the late announcement would leave officers working extended shifts and take them “away from communities.” He said police need time to plan for a match that kicks off at 1am on Monday and is due to run until at least 3am.
Roberts and Scott Green, who leads on alcohol licensing for the National Police Chiefs’ Council, issued a joint criticism of “the late announcement.” Their concern is practical: the longer opening hours change the shape of the night for policing, while the match itself runs through the early hours.
Greene King and Marston’s
The extension has a direct effect on pubs and venues. Greene King said more than 600 of its pubs across England will stay open to show the match, while Marston’s said more than 400 of its venues will be open until late.
The government is using legislative power that allows alcohol licensing hours to be extended on occasions of exceptional international, national or local significance. Steve Reed is writing to council leaders to inform them of the changes, and venues that want to stay open beyond the standard limits would normally need a temporary event notice at least five working days in advance.
For matches kicking off between 5pm and 9pm, pubs can stay open until 1am. For kick-offs after 9pm, pubs can remain open until 2am. This match sits outside those ordinary limits, which is why the 5am extension matters for both licensing and policing plans in England and Wales.
Downing Street and police
Downing Street framed the change as a boost for supporters and venues. Keir Starmer said: “Football might be coming home but we’re making sure fans don’t have to. Pubs staying open till the final whistle is good news for supporters and good news for the pubs and venues that bring our communities together. The whole country will be backing the team. Come on England!”
Police chiefs pushed back on that line. They said previous knockout games have seen more violent incidents in the night-time economy and more domestic abuse, both linked to alcohol consumption. The immediate issue for forces is not the match itself, but the short notice that leaves little room to rebalance officers and shifts before Monday morning.
The unanswered practical issue is how many additional officers, if any, will be moved to cover the longer hours. For supporters, the change means a longer night in pubs and licensed venues; for police, it means a revised plan that has to hold through a 1am start and an early-morning finish.
