Councils are being encouraged to permit pubs to remain open for the early morning World Cup match in England on Monday. The England team is set to play against Mexico at 1am on Monday in the Round of 16 following their recent 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While measures have been approved to extend pub hours until 2am for England matches in the knockout stages starting between 9pm and 10pm, this does not include the upcoming Monday game.

Communities Secretary Steve Reed has reached out to councils, urging them to expedite applications for pubs to extend their opening hours, enhancing fans’ opportunities to watch the game at their local pub. The Prime Minister’s spokesperson mentioned that the Secretary of State for Housing and Communities had written to councils to facilitate the approval of requests for pubs to extend their hours for late-night games, ensuring fans can enjoy the football.

Liberal Democrat MP Max Wilkinson proposed a universal extension to licensing hours for the upcoming match during parliamentary discussions. He highlighted the excitement among England fans for the early morning match on Monday and emphasized the financial benefits for pubs if a blanket extension is granted.

Business Minister Kate Dearden lauded the performance of Harry Kane and expressed support for the team ahead of the match. She acknowledged that pubs could stay open for additional hours depending on the match’s start time, ensuring fans can watch until the end. However, the extended hours do not apply to the Sunday game with a 1am start time.

The possibility of a bank holiday in case of an England World Cup win was hinted at by Keir Starmer, with historical references to previous victories under specific governments. The potential for a bank holiday was previously discussed by the PM in relation to the Lionesses’ success in the Euros final, though no commitment has been made by No10 for a bank holiday if England triumphs.