Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has extended pub opening hours across England and Wales until 5am on Monday morning for England's World Cup Round of 16 match against Mexico, prompting fans to speculate on his motives and drawing criticism from police.
Match details and timing controversy
The England football team face Mexico at the historic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Sunday, July 5, with kick-off at 6pm local time, which translates to 1am Monday morning for UK audiences. England secured their place by beating DR Congo 2-1 in a tense Round of 32 encounter, thanks to two late strikes from Harry Kane. Thomas Tuchel's side must cope with a hostile 100,000-strong home crowd and compete at an altitude exceeding 2,000 metres above sea level.
FIFA briefly contemplated bringing the match forward by six hours to midday local time owing to predictions of severe evening thunderstorms in Mexico City. However, following resistance from both football associations regarding preparation arrangements, FIFA reversed course and confirmed the original kick-off time remains unchanged.
Fan reactions to pub hour extension
Upon hearing the announcement, many England supporters believe they've 'worked out' the reason behind his decision. "Out til 5am on a school night, you can tell he's working his notice," quipped one fan on X. Another added: "If they win it would immediately bump his popularity by 30%." Someone said he was 'creating his legacy' with the rule, while another joked he was living up to his "Beer Starmer" nickname.
Industry welcome and police criticism
While the British Beer and Pub Association welcomed the announcement—forecasting up to one million additional pints will be sold—the move has attracted considerable criticism. The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) strongly condemned the timing of the announcement. They cautioned that forces are being left unprepared, necessitating substantial emergency rota adjustments to manage potential alcohol-related disorder and late-night violence.
Not all establishments will be taking advantage of the full extension. Major chains such as Greene King and Marston's have pledged hundreds of pubs to the extended hours, yet numerous independent venues are opting to shut at their usual times owing to staffing limitations.
Foreboding predictions from fans
As confirmation emerged that the match would proceed at its scheduled time this weekend, some England supporters made a foreboding prediction about the fixture. One wrote on Reddit: "Fully expect there will now be a storm delay just to make the farce even worse." While another predicted: "Pubs close at 5am. Delayed game kicks off at 5am." Someone else added: "It would be kinda funny if it gets rained off and everyone just skives work to watch it at 9am UK time instead." Another fan remarked: "Going to be great fun when I wait up until 1am to watch this only for lightning to cancel it anyway."
