Pubs will be able to extend their opening hours to 1am if England or Scotland make it to the Euro-2024 semi finals this summer.
Venues will be allowed to stay open for an extra two hours on match days if either or both teams reach the last four or the final, the government said.
Most pubs shut by 11pm, but under Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003 ministers can make an order relaxing licensing hours to mark occasions of “exceptional national significance”.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said that the move will “allow friends, families and communities to come together for longer to watch their nation hopefully bring it home”.
The easement covers venues in England and Wales, with Scotland and Northern Ireland in charge of their own licensing rules.
It comes after a consultation at the end of last year and is hoped to provide a boost to the hospitality industry, which has been hit hard by soaring energy prices and the cost of living crisis.
The semi-finals are currently scheduled to take place on Tuesday 9 July and Wednesday 10 July, with the final taking place on Sunday 14 July.
The head of trade body UK Hospitality, Kate Nicholls, said the extended hours were “essential to allow venues and fans to take full advantage”.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said that by “cutting red tape, doing business will be that much easier”.
She added: “The beer and pub sector is set for a bumper summer of sport, so let’s hope that England and Scotland make it not just through to the semi-finals but meet in the final itself, with pub goers able to cheer…
