The final is set to take place in Sydney on Sunday, with kick-off at 11am BST. However, the majority of pubs in Britain do not have official authorisation for early trade hours, much less serving alcoholic drinks.
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has called for licensing laws to be relaxed in order to allow pubs to serve drinks from 10am BST. However, such temporary reprieves usually need to be approved by the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and Parliament is currently in summer recess.
Individual pubs could submit separate authorisation requests, but these must be agreed five working days in advance.
The Tory Communities Secretary Michael Gove has written to councils asking them to speed up the approvals process, while the Home Office has contacted police asking them to work together with councils to allow a maximum of venues to open on Sunday morning.
Conservative MP Michael Fabricant has asked police in his constituency to turn a blind eye if pubs open early ahead of the final.
Cornwall Council announced on Friday that local police would not be enforcing licence laws for pubs serving alcohol early on Sunday. The BBPA has encouraged other councils to follow suit.
Football zones in London have already sold out ahead of the game, which marks the English women’s team’s first World Cup Final. It is also the first football World Cup Final for England since the men’s team won the competition in 1966.
