Football enthusiasts in England can enjoy the upcoming match against Norway at local pubs for longer this Saturday, as confirmed by the government.
With the extension of licensing hours, pubs in England and Wales will be allowed to remain open for 30 minutes after the final whistle, accommodating potential delays caused by extreme heat.
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England’s match against Norway is scheduled for 10 PM BST on Saturday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. Originally, the government had extended the opening hours until 2 AM, and this latest measure uses flexible laws for further time allowance.
Policing minister Sarah Jones stated, “England fans deserve the opportunity to watch every minute of the quarter-final together, and this extension ensures that.”
“Given the weather delays witnessed during the Mexico game, we want to provide fans and venues with the certainty that no one will miss any action.”
“I hope to see pubs and bars across England and Wales packed this Saturday night as we strive to bring football home.”
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The previous encounter with Mexico at the Azteca Stadium had an hour delay due to storms, but England managed to win 3-2.
As they prepare for the clash, coach Thomas Tuchel expressed optimism, saying, “We took a significant step in our last game, but this is just part of our journey. We are hungry and focused on the goal ahead.”
“Winning the quarter-final is crucial. We respect our past matches but need to concentrate on what’s ahead.”
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As for the conditions, England will have to contend with the heat and humidity, with temperatures expected to reach 32 degrees Celsius at kickoff (5 PM local time, 10 PM UK). Tuchel’s squad had their training camp in Florida to acclimatize, although the conditions turned out to be different than expected, with rain during three training sessions.
“We’ve put in a lot of heat training, which should be beneficial,” said Tuchel. “We anticipated it to be tough coming to Miami, and we hoped for some clouds to provide relief.”
“Even with our training and preparation, we can’t fully predict what the conditions will be like during the game. But we trust that the measures we’ve taken will give us a slight advantage.”