Exact date major pub rule change comes in

A major pub rule change is set to come in to affect soon that will change how Brits celebrate over summer.

Football fans will be able to celebrate long into the night this summer after ministers confirmed pubs can stay open until 2am during key World Cup clashes. In a boost for Britain’s struggling hospitality sector, the Home Office has approved extended licensing hours across England and Wales for matches involving England and Scotland in the knockout stages.

The move will allow pubs to serve until 1am for games kicking off between 5pm and 9pm – and until 2am for later fixtures starting between 9pm and 10pm.

It follows a tweak to earlier plans, ensuring that fans watching early evening knockout ties will also benefit from extended opening hours.

The World Cup, being held across the United States, Canada and Mexico, will see a wide spread of kick-off times for UK viewers due to time differences of at least five hours.

Officials estimate that up to 13 matches involving England or Scotland could fall under the relaxed rules – meaning venues can open later without needing to apply for special permissions.

Among the potential fixtures covered are England’s and Scotland’s first knockout matches if they win their groups, alongside further ties depending on progression.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “If our boys are on the pitch, we want our fans to stay in the pub.”

She added: “We won’t have fans coming home before football does.”

Industry leaders welcomed the move, saying it would help venues capitalise on one of the biggest sporting events of the year.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “There’s no place quite like the pub to cheer on our brilliant teams, and being able to open for longer means people can come together, boost community spirit and enjoy a summer of sport.”

The exact dates that the latest changes will come into effect would involve three early evening kick-offs in the knockout stages. If Scotland win their group they will play at 6pm in Houston on Monday June 29, if Scotland instead come second in their group and win their last-32 match they will play at 6pm in Houston on Saturday July 4. If England win their group they will play at 7pm in Atlanta on Wednesday July 1.

The changes follow a six-week public consultation launched in December and are made using special powers allowing ministers to relax licensing hours for events of “exceptional international, national or local significance”.

While the extension applies in England and Wales, licensing is devolved in Scotland, where local authorities will decide their own approach, particularly for late-night fixtures such as Scotland’s opening match, scheduled for 2am BST.

Even in nations not represented at the tournament, such as Wales and Northern Ireland, pubs are expected to benefit, with major international tournaments traditionally drawing large crowds and boosting takings during the summer months.