The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, with most matches played in the evening or at night, Swedish time, due to the time difference. Sweden qualified for the tournament after a playoff match against Poland, marking its first World Cup appearance since 2018, and is placed in Group F with the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia. Some matches start at 3:00 or 4:00 AM, Swedish time, according to official sources. Sweden's opening match against Tunisia on June 15 starts at 4:00 AM, Swedish time, while its match against the Netherlands begins at 7:00 PM on June 20, as confirmed by official schedules.
In response to these early kick-offs, political demands have emerged across Sweden to adjust alcohol licensing rules. The Moderates in Växjö have demanded that the S-led administration, together with the Centre Party, extend opening hours during the World Cup, with the committee set to review the issue and present a proposal, according to Arijeta Rechi of the Social Democrats. According to SVT Småland, Anton Olsson described that bars need to be able to stay open as long as football matches are ongoing, even for games at three o'clock in the morning.
Bars need to be able to stay open as long as the football matches are going on, even if Sweden plays at three o'clock in the morning.
In Göteborg, the red-green administration has submitted a proposal allowing bars and restaurants to apply for extended alcohol licenses during the World Cup, with the Moderates also submitting a similar proposal. If approved, bars could apply to sell alcohol until 6:00 AM, according to Klara Holmin of the Green Party, who noted the proposal will go to the municipal council for a decision. Bars in Göteborg without night licenses can apply to the municipality for extended serving permits, multiple reports indicate.
Similar proposals are spreading to other Swedish cities, with initiatives reported in several western locations such as Uddevalla and Borås, according to official sources. In Örebro, politicians are open to extra opening hours if there is interest, as long as serious applications are submitted and police assess them as feasible, according to John Johansson of the Social Democrats. Additionally, eight bars in Strängnäs and Mariefred have had outdoor serving hours extended by one hour in the evenings from April 1 to October 31, multiple reports show, and O'Learys in Eskilstuna hopes to stay open until 6:00 AM for Sweden's matches, currently holding a license until 3:00 AM.
Politician Geerth Gustavsson (S) has a positive attitude towards extending serving hours in Eskilstuna for the World Cup.
Current alcohol serving limits in Sweden typically cap at 5:00 AM in cities like Stockholm and Göteborg, according to multiple reports, with service beyond that hour not practiced due to municipal norms despite being legal. The ruling Social Democrats in Stockholm have encouraged bars to extend licenses temporarily but noted that going beyond 5:00 AM requires different regulatory changes, according to S-ledaren Emilia Bjuggren.
Internationally, Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Störe has opened up for a law change regarding serving licenses ahead of the summer championship, multiple reports indicate. Meanwhile, in Russia, amendments to the federal law regulating alcohol production and sports have been introduced to the State Duma, with LDPR deputies Igor Lebedev and Dmitry Svishchev proposing not to extend the ban on retail sale of beer at official football competitions, excluding children's and youth events, according to research sources. The authors of the bill argue that funds from beer sales could finance professional and youth sports development, aiming to create conditions for brewing companies to support sports budgets, citing worldwide practices of sponsoring professional sports events.
Marcus Svensson from Glenn sportsbar hopes politicians will promote and open up rather than hold back, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Advertising and sponsorship practices in sports further contextualize these debates, as international federations like FIFA and UEFA hold all advertising rights during competitions, with advertising by sponsors such as the IOC, FIFA, and UEFA mandatory during events and broadcasts, according to the authors of the bill. Historical examples include Heineken as the official sponsor of the 2012 Olympic Games in London and Budweiser, owned by Anheuser-Bush Inc., as a title sponsor of the IOC and key partner of the World Cup, research shows. Beer companies have long sponsored football teams globally, such as Carlsberg with Liverpool and Heineken with the UEFA Champions League, and beer is allowed at matches in many European countries including Germany, England, and the Netherlands, according to research sources.
The idea to return beer to football stadiums in Russia is based on experience from the World Cup in Russia, the authors of the bill noted. However, uncertainties remain regarding whether proposals to extend bar hours in Växjö, Göteborg, Örebro, and other cities will be officially approved and implemented. The exact conditions and application process for bars seeking extended alcohol licenses during the World Cup in each municipality are also unclear, as is how many bars across Sweden plan to apply and what the economic impact will be. Police assessments of feasibility for extended hours may vary across cities, and public safety or noise concerns could arise from bars staying open until 6:00 AM during the tournament.
According to Eskilstuna-Kuriren, Geerth Gustavsson described having a positive attitude toward extending serving hours in Eskilstuna for the World Cup. According to Göteborgs-Posten, Marcus Svensson described hoping politicians will promote and open up rather than hold back, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.