2014 FIFA World Cup

[brenchill]

What, so it won't be used in Sunday League?

[MDK]

Can you see us from your ivory tower?

[Jimmy]

Football doesn't exist outside the Premier League :/

[Lineker]

Howard Webb, Michael Mullarkey and Darren Cann will once again be the English representatives in terms of officials.

[Gazz]

No Sian Massey. Boooo

[King Ellis]

No Sian Massey. Boooo

Hope she makes it for Qatar, will be fun to see her officiating in a burka.

[Lineker]

Pitbull and J'Lo to pen track of the World Cup

[Baddar]

Good lord.

[Starvinho]

There will be no national extension of pub licensing hours during England's opening World Cup match, the Home Office has confirmed.

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) had asked for serving times to be extended on two weekends during the tournament in Brazil this summer.

But the Home Office rejected the bid, saying the World Cup was not a "one-off" event like the Queen's Jubilee.

England play Italy at 23:00 BST on Saturday 14 June 2014.

Industry body the BBPA had put in an application on behalf of all pubs to allow them to to stay open from 23:00 to 01:00 on that Friday and Saturday - the opening weekend of the tournament.

It also asked for an extra two hours on the closing weekend, 11 and 12 July.

BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds told BBC Radio 5 live: "The Home Office wrote back to us and said 'we don't consider this of national importance'.

"They've really missed something here and they should reconsider."

She said a temporary licence would cost pubs a total of £738,000 if they all applied for individual licences.

Individual pubs can apply for a one-off late licence at a cost of £21 or in "exceptional circumstances" ministers can extend hours nationally.

Fans group the Football Supporters' Federation said it was a "great shame" for those priced out of travelling to Brazil.

"For many fans the next best thing to a live game is the communal vibe of the pub," the federation's Graham Brunskill told the Daily Star Sunday.

Ministers extended weekend licensing hours for the recent royal wedding and Queen's Jubilee.

But Crime Prevention Minister Norman Baker said the government had "no plans" to repeat the move.

"It is our normal practice to only extend licensing hours under the Licensing Act 2003 in exceptional circumstances, usually for one-off events such as the Golden Jubilee rather than prolonged periods," he said.

"Premises which wish to open longer during this time can do so by applying for a Temporary Event Notice extension.

"This gives local authorities and police an opportunity to feed into the decision making process, allowing them to allocate resources if necessary."

[stokeriño]

I'll be in Tenerife on a stag do. Anyone know what their licensing hours are like?

[Colly]

Li-cens-ing? No senor.

[stokeriño]

Good answer.

[EddieG]

Licensing differs by pub in Spain, there is no limit, as long as you close once, hence why the pub I managed had a license from 6am to 5.59am

[Colly]

Basically go to Linekers. It'll be full of cunts but the footie will be on.

[EddieG]

Basically go to Linekers. It'll be full of cunts but the footie will be on.

tbf that describes the whole of Tenerife in the summer.

[TCO]

Wait, pubs don't stay open until 1 in England anyway?

[Matt]

Wait, pubs don't stay open until 1 in England anyway?

It depends on your licensing restrictions.

Wait, pubs don't stay open until 1 in England anyway?

It depends on your licensing restrictions.

[MDK]

It depends on your licensing restrictions

[brenchill]

Something to do with licensing restrictions

[Baddar]

I'll watch it at home anyway. The pub is always full of wankers.