World Cup: England fans can stay in pub for full Norway game – even if kick-off delayed
The government has said fans in England can stay in pubs celebrating or commiserating with each other until 30 minutes after the final whistle blows in a World Cup quarter-final match against Norway.
The extended licensing hours will allow fans in England and Wales to watch the full match even if the kick-off is delayed due to extreme heat. An earlier extension had allowed venues to remain open until 02:00 BST.
The Three Lions will kick off at 22:00 (18:00 local time) at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
This comes after England’s match against Mexico, played at the host nation’s Azteca Stadium on July 2, started an hour later than planned due to storms.
“England fans deserve the chance to watch every minute of the quarter-final together and our extension ensures just that,” Police Minister Sarah Jones said.
“After the weather delay we saw before the Mexico game, we want to give fans and venues full reassurance that no-one will miss a moment of the action.”
He said he hoped pubs and bars would be “packed” for the match, hoping England would be “one step closer to bringing football home”.
There was confusion ahead of the Mexico game after Fifa reverted to its plan to bring the game forward due to bad weather conditions. Following heavy rain in Mexico City and reports of lightning striking the stadium, the match was postponed for an hour.
The threat of high temperatures has been a feature of the World Cup co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States.
FIFA also introduced mandatory hydration breaks in the middle of each half to help players cope with the heat and humidity.
Extra time will potentially apply to other England matches, including the final, and will ensure venues remain open 30 minutes after the final whistle, the Home Office said on Saturday.
Expanding coverage means individual venues do not need to apply for extended hours.
In the World Cup, licensing hours were extended from 23:00 to 01:00 for matches with kick-offs between 17:00 and 21:00, and to 02:00 for matches with kick-offs between 21:00 and 22:00.
The home secretary has legislative power to extend licensing hours in cases of “exceptional international, national or local importance”.
