Don’t leave pubs on the bench when the World Cup kicks off

Local authorities and licensing boards in Scotland are expected to come under increased pressure to apply a blanket extension to the hours that licensed premises operators can operate during next summer’s FIFA World Cup.

After securing qualification to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, Scotland have been drawn in a group with Brazil, Morocco and Haiti, with the first game in Boston starting at 2am BST and the other two fixtures kicking off at 11pm BST.

There is concern that the business opportunity this presents for the country’s hospitality trade may be at risk owing to the kick-off times confirmed for Scotland’s matches in the US. Paul Togneri of the Scottish Beer & Pub Association said a lifting of licensing restrictions would be necessary to secure the potential economic benefits that pubs could derive from the public’s interest in Scotland’s matches.

A jubilant Scott McTominay celebrates World Cup qualification after beating Denmark (Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images)

He said: “This is a once-in-a-generation moment for Scotland fans and should be a major boost for Scotland’s pubs, but with kick-offs at 11pm and 2am, that opportunity is at risk. Each match should give an estimated £3 million boost to Scotland’s pubs but we need licensing boards to show flexibility and allow pubs to open their doors. That’s why we’re calling for temporary licensing statements for the whole of the tournament.”

Those calls have been echoed by others within the hospitality industry. Colin Wilkinson, managing director of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, urged local authorities and licensing boards across Scotland to “put special measures in place to enable the nation to share in our national football team’s success in reaching their first World Cup for 28 years”.

While the UK government has opened a consultation on extending pub opening hours in England and Wales during the World Cup, in Scotland the decision-making powers on licensing extensions rest with individual local authorities.

It is possible that Scotland’s licensing authorities will take an approach similar to that in respect of the festive period, when some operating hours restrictions are often relaxed, by making a decision months in advance regarding the hours licensed premises operators will be able to open during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

However, if no blanket extension is applied by Scotland’s licensing authorities, each venue owner wishing to extend their hours would have to file an application for an extension to their local licensing board.

Scotland’s qualification gives local authorities an opportunity to support the national night-time economy at a time when the sector is facing acute challenges from rising costs and a growing regulatory burden. The sooner decisions are made and communicated to licensed operators the better, as this will enable them to plan appropriately for an exciting summer ahead.

While late night opening is unlikely to be viable for every pub, the whole hospitality industry in Scotland would benefit from clarity being given ahead of time, to maximise the economic opportunity, and from a consistent approach to the granting of licenses being adopted across Scotland’s 32 local authorities.

Brian Grierson, Senior Associate, Pinsent Masons