A group-stage game can be watched, discussed and left behind. A knockout match is different. The possibility of extra time and penalties means the outcome cannot be guaranteed within the regular schedule.
A 5 a.m. closing window gives supporters the chance to follow the contest in full rather than leaving during the most important passage. It also recognises the role pubs play in English football culture. For many fans, watching England among fellow supporters is part of the World Cup experience, not merely an alternative to viewing at home.
Longer opening hours should not mean lower standards. Pub operators will need to consider staff welfare, safe journeys home and the effect on nearby residents.
The best version of the policy is therefore not simply “open until 5 a.m.” It is a managed arrangement that respects everyone affected by a rare sporting occasion.
For a match beginning at 1 a.m., allowing pubs to remain open through the possible conclusion is practical and proportionate. The next storyline will be how venues and supporters use that extra time: as a safe communal setting for a major England night, or as another source of avoidable frustration for the people working and living around it.