Spanish hoteliers are up in arms over tough local bar terrace noise rules casting a shadow over England and Scotland World Cup fans. Holidaymakers travelling to Benidorm, Magaluf and Palmanova to watch the FIFA 2026 games were dealt a major blow when local officials decided to mute TVs on bar terraces after midnight.
Noise restrictions impact late-night matches
The late-night noise limit has to drop to 55 decibels for pub terraces in the Little England area of the Costa Blanca resort, where thousands of fans are expected to drink Benidorm dry as they back the national teams. This spells problems for the fans as many of the group games are scheduled to start at 10pm or 11pm Spanish time, and subsequent matches, for which England is expected to qualify, could start even later when most pubs have had to close their doors. To add insult to injury, the rules, signed by local bosses, only applies to England, Scotland, Germany and Spanish games in the early stages.
Hosbec petitions for delayed decibel limits
Now the hotel association Hosbec has written to Benidorm Council, asking officials to ease restrictions for certain games during the soccer tournament. All three of England’s Group L games, against Croatia, Ghana and Panama, have been included in the petition. Hosbec is asking town hall chiefs to delay the decibel limitation, which kicks in around 11.30pm Spanish time, until the end of the final whistle so fans don’t have to move inside during the games. Benidorm Council has yet to respond to the request but the expectation is that they will cave in and loosen the regulations.
Benidorm prepares for influx of England fans
The Costa Blanca resort loved by British tourists is preparing for the influx of England fans looking for sunshine and cheap lager during the tournament. Tour operators had suggested an 18% rise in the number of flights between the UK and Alicante, local police chief Jose Carlos Amoros said last week. At the start of the month it emerged riot police would be sent to Benidorm as part of its World Cup security operation. The town council also announced evening and night-time police reinforcements between June 11 and July 19 after confirming the expected influx of UK tourists choosing to follow the football there.
Magaluf also enforces muted terrace TVs
Another Spanish resort England and Scotland fans are expected to flock to is Magaluf in Majorca. Terrace TVs will have to be muted after midnight in the party resort, its council chiefs announced earlier this week. They also ruled out unrestricted opening hours for the area during the tournament. Calvia Town Hall, which covers Magaluf, said: ‘On terraces and in outdoor areas, all audio broadcasting must be completely turned off after midnight, with the volume set to zero. ‘Only the visual signal of the matches may be shown in order to guarantee the rest of residents and tourists. ‘Likewise, screens and televisions must always be oriented toward the interior of the establishments. ‘The measure aims to prevent crowds from gathering in public spaces in a way that could hinder pedestrian movement and road traffic. ‘Calvia Town Council warns that failure to comply with the provisions of this decree, as well as the applicable Municipal Ordinances, will be subject to penalties. Therefore, establishment owners are urged to cooperate in preventing any disturbance to public safety and community coexistence.’
