| Updated:
Brits are poised to buy one million extra pints throughout the England and Mexico’s World Cup showdown, in what is set to be the one of the booziest Sunday nights the country has ever seen.
The fixture in Mexico City – which will kick off at 1am BST – is expected to spark a major boost for pubs across the country, as England vies for its place in the quarter finals.
According to the British Beer and Pub Association, “the timing of the match is unprecedented for the sector so, with more pubs opening, we expect there to be up to a million extra pints sold off the back of the game”.
The industry group’s chief executive Emma McClarkin told City AM: “We’re encouraging everyone to enjoy the occasion responsibly, cheer on our fantastic Three Lions, and be part of a moment of huge national significance.”
On Thursday, Sir Keir Starmer announced that pubs will be granted special permission to stay open until 5am.
Before the outgoing Prime Minister announced the use of this statutory power, fans were set to be booted out of the pub at half time.
Pubs rejoice, fans get ready to WFH
This one-off relaxation of licensing rules from Sunday night into Monday morning gives pubs a major opportunity to boost sales during a different time for the sector.
The pub chain Marston’s has been capitalising on the tournament, already offering a range of World Cup branded glasses.
Its operations director Jared Sedgwick suggested that “there might be a little more ‘working from home’ come Monday morning” following the match.
“More than 400 of our pubs were already set to open late for England vs Mexico on Sunday night – and the Government’s decision to ease licensing restrictions means that number is only going one way.
“When England are playing, a 1am kick-off is no barrier, and we’ll make sure fans have somewhere great to watch it together in the kind of big match atmosphere that’s hard to replicate at home.”
However, not everyone has been quite so thrilled by the news. The National Police Chiefs’ Council has criticised the “late announcement” of a match timing that could have been predicted well in advance.
