Home Office proposes Women’s Euros licensing relaxation

The Home Office is proposing a relaxation of licensing hours if any of the qualifying home nations reach the semi-final or final of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025.

Licensing hours for these games are proposed to be extended from 11pm to 1am in England and Wales, which will be particularly important for any games on a Sunday, including the final.

Trade body UKHospitality has backed the proposals, especially considering the fact that many pubs are only licensed until 10:30pm on a Sunday.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “We wholeheartedly support the proposal to extend licensing hours for the Women’s Euro’s this summer, which would be beneficial for both the hospitality sector and fans alike.

“The previous success of the Lionesses has ignited passion for the team across the country, and extending pub hours will allow fans to celebrate together, deliver a welcome boost to businesses and solve any issues presented by the tournament taking place one hour ahead in Switzerland.

She added: “The evidence from previous major sporting events, such as the men’s Euros, shows the positive impact extended hours can have on sales – with a 34% increase during the semi-finals and a remarkable 46% boost during the final.

“This proposal is positive for hospitality, but it also highlights the need for long-term change to this process. That’s why we continue to support the Licensing Hours Extension Bill, which would simplify and streamline the process for extending licensing hours.”

Both Wales and reigning champions England have qualified for the tournament which takes place in Switzerland between 2 and 27 July.

The semi-finals are set to take place on Tuesday 22 July and Wednesday 23 July with the final staged on Sunday 27 July.

The Lionesses and Wales have both been drawn in the same group alongside the Netherlands and France.

For Wales this represents the first time their women’s has ever qualified for a major tournament.