Wednesday January 28th 2026
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A decision on whether Borders pubs can open later to allow football fans to celebrate – or drown their sorrows – during this summer’s World Cup is a “work in progress”, councillors have been informed.
Local councils set pub opening hours through licensing boards.
Most pubs generally close between 11am and 1pm during the week, but some are permitted to open later.
Others have extended opening hours during the weekend or during large-scale events, such as the Edinburgh Festival and Festival Fringe.
Scotland has qualified for this summer’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA – for the first time since 1998.
But late kick-off times mean that licensing boards across the country have to make decisions on whether to allow watering holes to open later.
Steve Clarke’s side will face Haiti in their first fixture at the tournament on June 14, with kick off at 2am UK time.
Both other group matches, against Morocco on June 19 and Brazil on June 24, get under way at 11am.
Extensions to 3am for matches, plus thirty minutes to drink up, have already been agreed in Aberdeen.
At a meeting of Scottish Borders Council’s Licensing Board, its chair, Councillor Marshall Douglas, revealed that proposals for opening hours during the tournament would be announced soon.
He said: “We are looking at the arrangements for the World Cup situation and licensing of premises during the tournament.
“The board will be reviewing that in our private session and will have future reports.
“We will be looking at that and taking advice from officers and I wanted people to know that it is a work in progress.”
A report on the agreed opening hours will come before SBC’s Licensing Board next month.
Health secretary Neil Gray said the government would work with local authorities to try to ensure supporters do not miss out.
The Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA) has described it as a “once-in-a-generation” event.
Paul Togneri, SBPA senior policy manager, said later licensing laws could provide a £3m boost to the hospitality industry.
But he said that was “at risk” due to current regulations, which vary across the country.
Mr Togneri said: “We need licensing boards to show flexibility and allow pubs to open their doors, that’s why we’re calling for temporary licensing statements for the whole of the tournament.
“People will rightly want to come together and celebrate, like they did a few weeks ago when we qualified.
“Let’s make sure they can do that in a safe, regulated environment, and give our pubs a chance to benefit from this incredible occasion.
“No pubs, no party.”
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