Pubs staying open until 5am for Mexico vs England World Cup clash sparks scramble as police brace for trouble

Former Met deputy assistant commissioner Andy Trotter warns that a combination of 'hot nights, alcohol and sporting events' is a recipe for trouble as forces rush to bring in extra cops on Sunday night

11:14, 03 Jul 2026Updated 11:20, 03 Jul 2026

[England fans gather to watch the World Cup under a gazebo]

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Police are bracing themselves for disorder as pubs are being allowed to stay open until 5am for the match(Image: Philip Toscano/PA Wire)

Police chiefs are preparing for trouble as they scramble to respond to the Government's last minute announcement that pubs can stay open until 5am for England's next World Cup match.

Andy Trotter, a former deputy assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan Police, said a combination of "hot nights, alcohol and sporting events" is likely to result in disorder. Speaking to BBC's Radio 4's Today programme on Friday, Mr Trotter said the late licensing change over Sunday night's kick off will see forces having to bring in more officers to cope.

He said: "My anxiety is with the late change the police are now going to have to gear up across the country on a night normally when into the early hours it'd be a bit quieter than usual. Now they have to change shifts, get more officers out.

[Well behaved England fans enjoy the World Cup]

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Well behaved England fans enjoy the World Cup(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach Plc)

"And we all hope this is going to be a great night in all ways. We all hope it's going to be calm and peaceful, but we know the combination of hot nights, alcohol and sporting events can lead to trouble."

He added: "There could well be issues as people come out at 4 or 5 in the morning, bumping into the morning bleary-eyed commuters. So the police have got to be ready for this, but my anxiety is the late notice for police forces means a lot of late shift changes, which is unfortunate."

[Andy Trotter, a former deputy assistant commissioner ]

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Andy Trotter, a former deputy assistant commissioner (Image: PA)

The match against Mexico kicks off at 1am our time on Monday, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday: "Football might be coming home but we're making sure fans don't have to." Mr Starmer added: "Pubs staying open till the final whistle is good news for supporters and good news for pubs and venues. The whole country will be backing the team. Come on, England!"

Pub closing times had already been extended to 2am for England's matches that kicked off between 9pm and 10pm. But that didn't apply to Monday's fixture due to the later kick-off.

Individual pubs had to apply to councils if they wanted to stay open later - but the deadline had passed by the time the fixture was confirmed on Wednesday. Emma McClarkin, CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: "Pubs and fans will be over the moon about this decision, because the best place to watch the match is down the local."

[Fans show how they can enjoy the World Cup without causing trouble]

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Fans show how they can enjoy the World Cup without causing trouble(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach Plc)

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Figures released by the football policing unit show 88 suspects had been arrested in England and Wales for football-related incidents as of Monday - more than the 56 from the World Cup in 2022. The UKFPU said 463 football-related incidents have been recorded during the World Cup group stages - which police said is "significantly higher" than the 304 from Euro 2024 and the 291 from the World Cup in Qatar four years ago.

Mark Roberts, the head of the UK's football policing unit (UKFPU), previously voiced his concerns over the Government's decision to allow a blanket extension of pub opening hours during the tournament, urging ministers not to "pass the buck on to policing". It is the first time in a decade the relaxation of alcohol licensing hours will apply to the round of 32 and 16 - with the police chief saying "common sense tells you that is going to give us more problems".

The UKPFU said as of Monday, 162 incidents had been recorded in licensed premises, alongside 109 domestic incidents.

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