Leeds pub hours for England vs Mexico World Cup late kick-off | OneFootball

England's round-of-16 tie with co-hosts Mexico kicks off at 1am British time on Monday, a late night that has prompted extended pub hours in Leeds. The match is at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium on Sunday night local time.

Harry Kane's late double against the Democratic Republic of Congo turned an early deficit into progression, sparing an early exit. According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has extended opening hours for the knockout rounds.

Pubs can trade until 2am, and venues may apply for a temporary licence for very late kick-offs that could run past 2am.

With a 1am start and the possibility of extra time or penalties, the finish could be well beyond 2am, and the current extension would only cover around half-time on Monday morning. It is the first time in a decade that licensing flexibility has applied to the rounds of 32 and 16.

Leeds pubs were packed for the Congo match, and many fans are already eyeing city-centre venues for the Mexico fixture.

Mahmood framed the move as keeping pubs open for late drama and cutting red tape, while Chancellor Rachel Reeves viewed later hours as a boost to local trade and jobs. England manager Thomas Tuchel urged families to let children watch, calling the World Cup a once-every-four-years occasion and appealing for their support.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk