The 2026 World Cup is being held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which means most home nation knockout matches will kick off late evening UK time. The government has confirmed that pubs and licensed premises in England and Wales can stay open later for these fixtures without needing a Temporary Event Notice. This guide explains exactly when you can extend, which matches are covered, and what venue managers need to do to be ready.
The 2026 World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July. With matches scheduled across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, kick-off times are five to eight hours behind UK time. That means many of the knockout fixtures that British supporters most want to watch, including potential England and Scotland matches, will kick off after 8 pm UK time and finish well into the night.
For pub, bar, and venue managers, this raises a straightforward commercial question: can your premises stay open later to catch the late-night trade, or do you have to close at your usual licensed hours? The answer, following a recent government decision, is yes for many fixtures and no for others. The detail matters.
Here is exactly what the rules say.
Key Insights
- The 2026 World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with most home nation knockout matches kicking off late evening UK time.
- The Home Secretary has confirmed a Licensing Hours Order allowing pubs in England and Wales to extend their hours for home nation knockout fixtures.
- For matches kicking off between 5 pm and 9 pm UK time, pubs can stay open until 1 am.
- For matches kicking off between 9 pm and 10 pm UK time, pubs can stay open until 2 am.
- Matches kicking off after 10 pm still require a Temporary Event Notice.
- Group stage matches are not covered by the extension and require a TEN if you want to extend.
- The extension applies to England and Wales only. Scotland operates under a separate licensing system.
What the Government Has Confirmed
In response to a six-week public consultation, the Home Office has confirmed that pubs and licensed premises in England and Wales will be permitted to extend their opening hours for the sale of alcohol during home nation knockout matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Home Secretary has the power to extend licensing hours on occasions of “exceptional international, national or local significance” under section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003.
Exactly When Can Your Pub Stay Open Later?
Here is what the extension allows, depending on when a home nation knockout match kicks off:
| Match kick-off time (UK) | Pubs can stay open until | TEN required? |
|---|---|---|
| 5 pm to 9 pm | 2 am | No (for home nation knockouts) |
| After 10 pm | 2am | No (for home nation knockouts) |
| 1 am | Standard hours apply | Yes |
A few important points to note:
The extension applies to the sale of alcohol on the premises. It does not extend hours for the provision of regulated entertainment, so if you have a late-night entertainment licence consideration, that is a separate matter.
The extension applies to qualifying matches only. If your venue’s regular premises licence already permits later trading, that obviously stays in force. The Licensing Hours Order is an additional permission for the specific fixtures covered.
Unlicensed premises do not benefit. If you are running a pop-up or one-off venue that does not hold a permanent premises licence, you will still need to give a Temporary Event Notice for any match on which you intend to sell alcohol.
Which Matches Are Covered (And Which Are Not)
This is the area that catches most people out, so it is worth being explicit.
Covered:
- Knockout matches involving England
- Knockout matches involving Wales
- Knockout matches involving Scotland
- Knockout matches involving Northern Ireland
“Knockout matches” means the last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final. Group stage matches are not covered by the order, even if a home nation is playing. If you want to extend hours for a group stage fixture, you need to issue a TEN as you would for any other event.
The other detail to flag is the Republic of Ireland. The Republic is not classed as a home nation under this legislation. If you operate a venue with a significant Irish supporter base, you will need to track Ireland’s schedule separately and issue TENs accordingly.
What About Kickoffs After 10 pm?
Some of the more commercially significant matches in the tournament will kick off after 10 pm UK time. Late-stage knockout fixtures held in Pacific Time zones, for example, may not start until 11 pm or later British Summer Time. These fall outside the relaxation order and require a Temporary Event Notice.
A few things to know about TENs:
- A standard TEN costs £21 and must be submitted to your local council at least ten working days before the event.
- A “late TEN” can be issued not earlier than nine and not later than five clear working days before the event.
- You are limited to 15 TENs per calendar year, covering a total of 21 days.
- The police or environmental health officers can object on the grounds of the licensing objectives.
- TENs can be withdrawn if you no longer need them, freeing up your annual allocation for later in the year.
For full details, see our guide on how Temporary Event Notices work.
A practical tip: because TEN deadlines fall before the conclusion of the group stages, you may need to submit TENs speculatively for matches that depend on home nation progression. If a home nation is knocked out and you no longer need the TEN, you can withdraw it, but you must do so at least 24 hours before it would have started in order to retain the allocation for use later in the year.
Do You Need a Personal Licence to Open Later?
Yes. The extended hours apply only to premises with a valid premises licence, and every premises licence must have a named Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) who holds a personal licence. The DPS is the named individual legally responsible for the licensed operation of the venue.
The DPS does not need to be physically on the premises every minute it is open, but they must be contactable, and they must have given their consent to being named. For a tournament where multiple late-night trading sessions are likely, many venues choose to have several personal licence holders on the team so that there is always someone qualified available.
If you do not currently have a personal licence holder available to cover extended trading, your two options are:
- Get qualified yourself. The APLH course is a one-day Level 2 qualification and the legal prerequisite for applying for a personal licence.
- Get one of your senior staff qualified. Many venue operators fund the course for promising team members ahead of major tournaments.
For the full step-by-step process, see our guide on how to get a personal licence before the World Cup kicks off.
If you are short on time and need someone to handle the council application paperwork for you, the Get Licensed EasyApply service takes care of the DBS check, paperwork, and submission, so you can focus on running your venue.
How to Ensure Your Venue Is Ready
Before kick-off on 11 June, work through the following:
Check your current premises licence. Note the standard hours your premises is permitted to sell alcohol. This is your baseline.
Identify which fixtures need TENs. The extension covers home nation knockout matches kicking off between 5 pm and 10 pm. Anything outside that, including group stage matches and late-night kick-offs, needs a TEN if you want to extend.
Confirm your DPS arrangements. Make sure your named DPS is available for the dates you plan to extend, or that you have another personal licence holder on the team who can take responsibility.
Plan staffing and security. Extended trading during high-emotion sporting events brings risk. Factor in additional door supervision, polycarbonate glassware where appropriate, and a clear closing protocol.
Review the conditions on your premises licence. Some licences carry conditions on outdoor area use, music, or specific operational requirements. The licensing hours extension does not override these.
Sort your TV licence. Showing live sport requires a TV licence. The Licensing Act 2003 does not classify live broadcasts as licensable activities, but the broadcasting licence is a separate requirement.
Your Next Step
If you already have a personal licence holder on your team and a clear plan for which fixtures you want to cover, you are in good shape. If you do not, the priority is to get one of your team qualified before the tournament begins. The APLH course is the starting point and can be completed in a day.
Book the APLH course today to get qualified, and use the EasyApply service to fast-track the council application.
Frequently Asked Questions
For home nation knockout matches kicking off between 5 pm and 9 pm UK time, you can stay open until 1 am. For matches kicking off between 9 pm and 10 pm, you can stay open until 2 am. Matches kicking off after 10 pm require a Temporary Event Notice.
No. The Licensing Hours Order applies only to knockout matches involving home nations. For group stage matches, you would need to issue a TEN to extend your hours.
No. The Licensing Hours Order applies automatically to qualifying fixtures. There is no application, no paperwork, and no fee.
No. Scotland operates under a separate licensing system, and the Licensing Hours Order applies to England and Wales only. Scottish licensing boards may make their own arrangements for fixtures involving the Scottish national team.
You will need one in order to extend your trading hours legally. The fastest route is to get yourself or a member of your team qualified through the APLH course and apply for a personal licence as soon as possible.
