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Pubs will be permitted to open early on the day of the Women's World Cup final, in which England will face Spain, the UK government has announced. The choice was made so that supporters of the Lionesses, who are vying for their first World Cup victory, could watch the game and cheer them on.
On Sunday, August 20, pubs will reportedly be permitted to open an hour or two before the regular opening time of 11 a.m. The competition is being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in Sydney, Australia, where the final will begin at 11 a.m. BST. UK Secretary Michael Gove stated, "I’ve asked councils to do everything they can to help pubs get open earlier on Sunday, so people can come together and enjoy a drink before kick-off for this special occasion."
The demand for pubs and alcohol has been exceptional from the fans, with bookings filling rapidly ahead of the finale. A huge boost of £41 million in sales is expected on matchday, according to UK Hospitality boss Kate Nicholls.
The action comes after a comparable easing of licencing hours for the 2018 men's World Cup semifinal, in which England advanced to the semifinals. The administration said that extending the hours would improve the economy and honour the women's team's accomplishments.
Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo, and Ella Toone scored goals as England defeated Australia 3-1 to go to the final. Olga Carmona's late goal helped Spain upset Sweden 2-1 to advance to their first World Cup final. The final will be a rematch of England's 2-1 victory over Spain in the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 quarterfinal in 2022. The 1966 men's World Cup was the last major championship that England had won.
