Pubs and bars across England and Wales will be allowed to stay open until 5am on Monday to show England's World Cup Round of 16 clash with Mexico, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed on Thursday.
The blanket licensing extension covers the fixture at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, which kicks off at 1am BST and is expected to finish after 3am, potentially close to 4am if it goes to extra time and penalties.
The move matters because previous tournament rules only extended hours for matches kicking off before 10pm BST, allowing venues to stay open until 2am, a cut-off that would have forced pubs to close mid-match.
Under the mechanism, the Home Secretary is using legislative powers to extend licensing hours on the basis that the game is an event of "exceptional international, national or local significance".
Crucially, the blanket extension removes the need for individual venues to apply for Temporary Event Notices to serve alcohol beyond standard hours. Communities Secretary Steve Reed is writing to local council leaders to inform them of the change.
"Football might be coming home but we're making sure fans don't have to, " Starmer said. "Pubs staying open till the final whistle is good news for supporters and good news for the pubs and venues that bring our communities together.
The whole country will be backing the team. Come on England!"
England booked their place in the last 16 by beating the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 on Wednesday, with captain Harry Kane scoring twice late on to secure the win.
After that victory, head coach Thomas Tuchel urged families to prioritise the match over Monday morning classes. "Write an excuse for school and let them watch football. Come on. There's so much school to go to, " he said.
The decision followed pressure from MPs and hospitality figures, with a spokesperson for London Mayor Sadiq Khan urging local authorities to work with the industry on late openings.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: "Pubs and fans will be over the moon about this decision, because we all know the best place to watch the match is down the local.
This tournament is hugely important for our sector."
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, welcomed the "pragmatic approach", adding that major sporting occasions "deliver a significant boost to hospitality businesses while creating an atmosphere that unites the country".
The extension applies only to England and Wales, not Scotland or Northern Ireland, and no additional bank holiday has been declared, meaning schools and workplaces open as normal on Monday, hours after England discover their World Cup quarter-final fate.
