New pub opening hour laws in England from today

Fingers crossed England fans will be celebrating into the small hours

The game doesn’t kick off until 8pm UK time, so many would understandably be concerned that they may be sent home early, even if England win.

However, the government has confirmed that to mark the occasion, pubs will have extended hours to allow fans to celebrate (or commiserate) that little bit longer.

Opening hours have been extended by two hours, meaning pubs that would normally close at 11pm will be allowed to serve punters until 1am.

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, said: “We’re so proud of Gareth Southgate and the England team.

“It’s right that we can all come together tomorrow to enjoy the match and – do we dare to dream?! – hopefully celebrate an England victory.”

Under section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003, the Home Secretary is allowed to relax licensing hours to mark occasions of ‘exceptional national significance’.

Before the Euros, the last time pub opening times were extended was in 2023 for the King's Coronation weekend.

Though it’s good news for England fans who are unable to travel to Germany to see their team play, it is great news for the hospitality industry that has been hit hard in recent years.

Many pubs never recovered after the Coronavirus pandemic and approximately 800 establishments entered insolvency in 2023, the highest number in over a decade.