England fans are packing out pubs as they prepare for an epic all-nighter to watch the Three Lions take on Mexico in their last-16 World Cup clash.
The match kicked off at 2am UK time following a one hour delay due to ‘adverse weather – with pubs allowed to stay open until 5am on Monday.
Huge crowds have gathered at BOXPARK Wembley where a screening of the highly anticipated game is being shown, as well as in fan zones across the country.
The game could go late into the night amid delays due to thunderstorms, prompting fears fans may be turfed out of pubs before the final whistle if it goes to penalties.
In Britain, millions of England fans are expected to be late or absent from school and work on Monday, with employers braced for a ‘mass sickie’ after the match at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
There were already tired faces in pubs up and down the country as fans waited for kick-off to begin – with some resting their heads on tables surrounded by pints of beer.
Speaking at a watch party in Wembley, northwest London, Lorcan Finn, from Devon, said he had already taken the day off work to stay up for the early-hours kick-off.
The 22-year-old engineer said: ‘I think it’s stupid not to take the day off, unless you work from home.’
Two England fans in Newcastle gear up in the early hours of Monday for the tie with Mexico
England fans gather at BOXPARK in Wembley as they await kick-off, which has been pushed back to 2am due to thunderstorms
England supporters gather at STACK at St James’ Park in Newcastle ahead of tonight’s fixture
Nervous faces in Manchester as fans gather to watch England’s match against Mexico
Huge crowds gather at BOXParty Wembley where a screening of the highly anticipated game will be shown, as well as in fan zones across the country
Harry Becks, 27, from Ruislip, west London, also said there’s ‘no chance’ he will go to work on Monday, adding: ‘I already booked the day off.’
Matt, 27, from Richmond, south-west London, who was at the fan zone with his father Terry, 62, from Preston, is also taking annual leave on Monday.
His father Terry said: ‘I’m older, I do not work. I will wake up tomorrow at home, if I’m not dead!’
Meanwhile, remote workers pulling an all-nighter joked they will just be moving their mouse at work on Monday.
Watching England’s last-16 game against Mexico at BOXPark Wembley in north-west London, Kieran, a finance assistant from Essex, said he is unaffected by the game’s delay to 2am, as he will be working from home.
‘I’m working from home and I live nearby,’ the 23-year-old said, joking: ‘I will just be moving my mouse!’
England fans watching the match in the shadow of Wembley Stadium had said they would wait as long as it takes to see kick-off.
Kieran, 23, a finance assistant from Essex, said he will stay put at Wembley Boxpark, in north-west London, even if the match is delayed further.
‘I think it’s annoying for England fans here but it’s probably beneficial for the England team,’ he said.
‘I will stay the whole time even if it’s delayed,’ he added.
Fans wait for the start of the England match at BOXPark Wembley in London
England fans enjoy a pint as they await kick-off in the vital last-16 clash with Mexico
England fans sing and knock back pints at a fanzone in Manchester ahead of kick-off
Excitement builds among England fans in Newcastle in the early hours of Monday
England fans gather ton watch the England v Mexico game in Manchester
Bar staff ahead of a screening of the FIFA World Cup match between England and Mexico at The Rockcliffe Arms, Whitley Bay
England fans are packing out pubs as they prepare for an epic all-nighter to watch the Three Lions take on Mexico in their last-16 World Cup clash
Killey Harvey, a charity worker from west London, also said he will wait, despite having work at 10am on Monday.
The 49-year-old said: ‘I think that it is bad. It should have been earlier. The police are not happy with it because it causes extra trouble.
‘I will stay because I want to seen them play. I’m here to enjoy the match,’ he added.
Asked if he is worried he will be too tired to work, Mr Harvey said: ‘I do not care, this is my choice.’
Despite pubs being given permission to stay open until 5am on Monday, some fans are concerned the game may go on longer if it goes to penalties.
Lewis Haywood, assistant manager at Bristol-based brewery Bristol Beer Factory, said they would show ‘as much as we can’ of the game amid concerns the game could go beyond 5am if there was extra time and penalties.
He said: ‘We will be open until 5am tops. If it (was delayed) to 3am then we’ll show as much as we can but then we would need to close.
‘This is what’s annoying, they (Fifa) knew they could have done it at 7pm our time. It’s not too bad, it’s a bit annoying, but people are still in good spirits.’
He added: ‘Licensing is only until 5am. We’ll do last orders at 4.30am so if it does go to penalties or anything like that then there’s not much we can do really. So we’ll see what happens.’
In Mexico City, hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to take to the streets following the last-16 showdown.
Police deployed 7,500 officers to the Azteca Stadium and 6,000 more to the city centre in the biggest operation ever seen for an England football match.
It comes after a million people crowded around the Angel of Independence statue in the city centre after Mexico’s match against Ecuador last week, with four people dying in the crush.
Bored and tired England fans at Ultra Warehouse Derby brave the early hours as they prepare to watch England play against Mexico
Fans pack out pubs as they wait for the start of the England match against Mexico
England supporters pose with a replica trophy as they wait for the start of match tonight at The Clock pub in Hebburn
England supporters pack into STACK at St James’ Park in Newcastle in the early hours of Monday
Mexico have played all of their World Cup matches at their home Azteca stadium – scene of the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal by Diego Maradona.
Every seat in the 80,824-capacity arena is set to be equipped with a Mexico flag.
In Britain, ‘Hangover Monday’ could cost the economy millions as workers either fail to show up or spend today being unproductive.
Experts warned of the dangers of driving or doing physical work while exhausted.
Dr Sophie Bostock, from the sleepscientist.com, said: ‘If you’ve been awake for 24 hours and you’re planning to just ‘push through’, your reaction time slows by over 50 per cent.’
Six million staff – almost one in five employees – have taken annual leave, three times more than usual, industry sources said.
With pubs open for business and those watching at home turning on kettles at the same time for half-time cups of tea, National Grid bosses had predicted a sudden demand spike of up to 600MW, the equivalent of one whole nuclear reactor.
A spokesman for the National Energy System Operator said: ‘Demand rises at half-time. Our control room was ready for this moment, using batteries and pumped hydro storage to keep the system balanced.’
Many bars enjoyed a record trading day, from 11am yesterday to 5am this morning.
Mike Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, which represents pubs and other venues, said: ‘Millions of additional pints will have been sold in pubs across the country.’
Ronnie’s Bar in Hockley, Essex, said: ‘A 1am kick-off on a Monday morning is ridiculous and absolutely brilliant. We stayed open for the game, with big England energy.’
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