According to the government, if one or both teams advance to the final four or the semifinals, venues will be permitted to remain open for an additional two hours on match days.
While most bars close by 11 p.m., ministers have the authority to issue an order extending licensing hours for events deemed to be of “exceptional national significance.”
The action will “allow friends, families, and communities to come together for longer to watch their nation hopefully bring it home,” according to Home Secretary James Cleverly.
Scotland and Northern Ireland are in charge of their own licensing regulations; it includes venues in England and Wales.
The goal of the measure, which was prompted by a consultation at the end of the previous year, is to assist the hospitality industry, which has been negatively impacted by the crisis of rising living expenses and rising energy costs.
