RARE PHOTOS: Pubs nearing capacity for england games ahead of world cup despite kick off being months away | Vintage Vibes

The Three Lions will take to the pitch in their first group match against Croatia in Dallas, Texas on 17 June. Already, football fans are speculating if football is coming home after the Lionesses’ success at the UEFA Women's Championship last year.

Big Penny Social, a large beer hall with a big outdoor area in east London which is charging £12 per ticket, has only limited space for England’s opening game, which kicks off at 9pm UK time.

Faye Daniels, of the 1,400-capacity venue, told The Times: “We haven’t yet sold out, but we’re certainly seeing strong demand already. I’d always advise people to book early for big matches. For the Euros final in 2024 we sold out tickets in 28 seconds, with over 35,000 people on the waiting list.”

For the Box Brindleyplace, in Birmingham, there remain less than 10 tables available across the first three England games that have been announced. The sports bar is currently taking bookings with a deposit of up to £30 a head for England matches, which will be redeemable on the day.

“We’ve only got a few left,” said Dan, the manager of the 575-capacity sports bar. “I would encourage people to book their tickets early.”

While it’s not unusual for major sporting events to fill up the Birmingham bar, the current rate of ticket sales would mean “there won’t be any availability” in the weeks running up to the World Cup, he added.

Sport’s bar Belushi’s, with 11 venues across nine European cities including two in London and one in Edinburgh, has already seen high interest. Phill Burgess, speaking on behalf of the venue, encouraged people to book tickets before too late.

“We are not yet at capacity,” he told The Independent, “but we have seen a high number of bookings and interest, given the tournament is still two months away. We expect to sell out for the England games long before many attendees will think about booking.”

Spectators at the London Bridge venue can reserve a table for a minimum of four people for £40 per head, with a choice of burger and fries and three drink tokens.

Pubs welcomed a change in licenses for the World Cup in February which will see them able to stay open until 2am if any of the home nations make it to the knockout stage.

Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, called it a “welcome and pragmatic step” to boost the hospitality sector.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “There’s nothing quite like watching the beautiful game in your local, so the fact that fans can gather for more matches at their local is a win for pubs, jobs and community spirit.

“This change from the Government, alongside the recently passed Licensing Hours Extension Act which we supported, recognises the irreplaceable role pubs play in bringing people together and creating an atmosphere nowhere else can match.”