MPs grant pubs extra time to open if England or Wales reach Women's Euros semis
Pubs have been granted extra time to stay open if the Lionesses reach this year's Uefa Women's Euros semi-finals, MPs have agreed.
Bars will be allowed to sell alcohol until 1am, if either England or Wales – or both – take part in the European Championship semi-finals or finals next month.
Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson said venues 'stand to benefit' from the temporary later closing time, pushed back from the usual 11pm cut-off, and Conservative MP Andrew Snowden warned his father might 'disown' him, had his party not backed the Government's proposal.
But if neither team manages to reach the final stages, pubs will have to stick to their ordinary licence conditions.
The semi-finals take place on July 22 and 23, with the final on July 27.
Dame Diana said this year's championship in Switzerland, which kicks off on July 2, was a 'prestigious tournament'.
She said a Government order paved the way for a 'temporary extension of licensing hours across England and Wales should either England or Wales or both progress to the semi-finals or the final of the competition'.
MPs laughed when she added: 'I have to say, from my limited following of football, it seems like the women's teams have a reputation for doing far better than our male teams.'
A Home Office consultation found 87% of respondents backed the proposed extension of licensing hours for the semi-finals, dropping to 84% for the final, Dame Diana told the Commons.
Publicans 'stand to benefit from this modest extension which would allow them to accommodate increased demand during these high-profile fixtures', she said, and added: 'I fully accept that the hospitality sector has had a difficult time over the last few years and this is a helpful measure.
'It is right to acknowledge as well that police representatives have expressed some concerns regarding the potential for increased crime and disorder.
'Now, whilst operational decisions on deployment and resourcing are a matter for individual forces, I am confident that appropriate measures will be taken to mitigate any risks, as has happened in similar cases.
'Notably, there have been no significant incidents of large-scale disorder linked to previous licensing extensions, which I think is testament to the professionalism of our police service, to whom we owe our thanks.'
The move to extend licensing hours applies only to alcohol, and does not apply to off licences and supermarkets.
'If neither England nor Wales reach the semi-finals, the proposed extension will not apply on July 22 or 23. Similarly, if one or both teams reach the semi-finals but do not progress to the final, normal licensing hours will apply on July 27,' Dame Diana warned.
Mr Snowden, the MP for Fylde, said his party was 'delighted to support these temporary licensing changes'.
He added: 'To be fair, I don't think I would have much choice on this matter, as if I ever stood at this despatch box and opposed more time in the pub to watch football, my dad would probably disown me.'
Mr Snowden told MPs there was 'no reason why we should doubt' that the reigning champions, England, will reach the semi-finals.
'We are the defending champions of the Women's Uefa cup after England's magnificent performance at the 2022 tournament hosted here in the UK at Wembley,' he told MPs.
'The final saw a 2-1 victory, and of course in football, it was made all the sweeter by beating the Germans.
'So this is a fantastic time to support your local as well as your national.'
MPs called 'aye' to approve the extension.
Ministers can extend licences for events 'of exceptional international, national, or local significance', but must ask for MPs' permission.
Labour MP for Wrexham Andrew Ranger has called for a tweak in the law, so that ministers can extend licensing hours without the need for a vote in Parliament.
Dame Diana said the Government has supported his Licensing Hours Extension Bill, but added it would not clear both the Commons and the Lords in time for the Women's Euros.
She said agreeing to Thursday's order – originally laid on May 15 – without a division reinforced 'the argument that debating such measures may not represent the most effective use of parliamentary time'.
England and Wales face each other on July 13, with both home nations in Group D alongside France and the Netherlands.
The Lionesses will face France on July 5 when Wales will play the Netherlands.
On July 9, England will play the Netherlands while Wales face France.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate licensing rules.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
BYU Reacts to Big AJ Dybantsa Announcement on Friday
BYU Reacts to Big AJ Dybantsa Announcement on Friday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Similar to the hype that surrounded Duke Blue Devils star and soon-to-be No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg coming out of high school as the top-ranked prospect in the Class of 2024, AJ Dybantsa is generating similar buzz as the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2025. Advertisement Dybantsa, a native of Brockton, Massachusetts, made headlines with his bold decision to commit to BYU and head coach Kevin Young—who brings NBA-level experience—over powerhouse programs like Alabama, North Carolina, and Kansas. Currently projected as the early favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Dybantsa received more big news on Friday. He was officially named to the United States U19 Men's National Team, which will compete for its ninth gold medal at the FIBA World Cup from June 28 to July 6 in Lausanne, Switzerland. BYU celebrated the news by posting a graphic of Dybantsa with the caption, 'USA U19 NATIONAL TEAM.' BYU fans reacted to the news: Advertisement "Was there ever any doubt? They should change the name of the team to the U19 AJs," a fan said. "LET'S GO!!" Another fan posted. Someone else added, "Captain America kinda a hard nickname [not gonna lie]." One more fan commented, "Easy gold." BYU Cougars signee AJ Dybantsa (3).Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Dybantsa will be joined by several other top prospects in the country, including Mikel Brown Jr., Caleb Holt, Jasper Johnson, Morez Johnson Jr., and Brandon McCoy Jr., among others, as the final roster was rounded out this week. The team will be led by Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd, with Texas Tech's Grant McCasland and Micah Shrewsberry serving as assistant coaches. Advertisement Team USA will open its FIBA U19 World Cup campaign on June 28, facing the Australian U19 National Team at 11:15 a.m. ET. Related: Jon Scheyer Breaks Silence on Cooper Flagg Likely Going No. 1 to Mavericks in NBA Draft This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Florian Wirtz joins list of most expensive soccer signings in history
Florian Wirtz became one of the most expensive players in soccer history when the Germany playmaker joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen on Friday for a fee of up to 116 million pounds ($156 million). Neymar: $262 million (222 million euros) Advertisement Paris Saint-Germain shattered the world-record transfer fee by signing the Brazil superstar from Barcelona in August 2017. It was more than double the outlay of Manchester United to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus for $116 million a year earlier. It remains the record transfer fee. ___ Kylian Mbappé: $216 million (180 million euros) A few weeks after buying Neymar, PSG also secured a loan deal for Mbappé — then the rising star of French soccer playing for Monaco — that included the option to make the move permanent in 2018. PSG did so, making it an outlay of nearly $500 million on two players. ___ Philippe Coutinho: $192 million (160 million euros) Advertisement Flush with cash after selling Neymar a year earlier, Barcelona spent most of it in a deal to buy Brazil playmaker Coutinho from Liverpool for a Spanish record fee. ___ Moises Caicedo: $146 million (115 million pounds) The Ecuador midfielder's move was previously the most expensive deal by a British club, with Chelsea buying him from Brighton in August 2023. ___ João Félix: $140 million (126 million euros) Atletico Madrid triggered a buyout clause in Félix's contract to sign the Portugal forward from Benfica in August 2019. ___ Jude Bellingham: $139 million (128.5 million euros) The England star got his big move to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund in June 2023, for an initial up-front fee of 103 million euros plus add-ons linked to performance. Advertisement ___ Antoine Griezmann: $134 million (120 million euros) Atletico could afford to sign Félix after selling France forward Griezmann to Barcelona for a similar fee a few weeks earlier. ___ Neymar: $98 million (90 million euros) Outside from Europe, the biggest transfer deal also involved Neymar when he joined Al Hilal, a team in the Saudi Pro League, from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2023. That came at the height of Saudi Arabia's push to sign high-end soccer talent to ignite the oil-rich state's domestic league. ___ AP soccer: Steve Douglas, The Associated Press
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Notre Dame continues its search for a 2026 left tackle as they offer Charlie Thom
While Notre Dame football has four current offensive line commitments in its 2026 class, there is not true left tackle in the bunch. The Irish are trying to convince Grayson McKeogh to join, with is coming off his official visit form this past weekend. Notre Dame is battling Texas and Penn State for his commitment, but that doesn't mean that they're putting all their eggs into the McKeogh basket. Advertisement On Tuesday the Irish offered another left tackle prospect, Connecticut's Charlie Thom. The 6-foot, 6-inch and 275-pounder isn't ranked at the moment by the 247Sports Composite, but has a very good offer list which includes the Nittany Lions, Michigan State, Nebraska, and others. Thom has taken official visits to see PSU and Boston College, but has yet to lock in a commitment date. If Notre Dame is able to get him on campus for an official visit, they could very well be jumping to the top of his list. This is a recruitment to watch, as the Irish aren't going to be left looking for another tackle prospect if they miss out on McKeogh. This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame has sent out an offer to 2026 Connecticut OT Charlie Thom
