As the FIFA World Cup 2026 reaches its final stage, the Assam government has pulled out all the stops to ensure that passionate football enthusiasts do not miss a single second of the late-night action. Recognizing the massive public demand to watch knockout fixtures live, the state administration has stepped in to facilitate overnight screenings ahead of Argentina vs England semifinal match, being held tonight, starting 12:30 AM IST (July 16). Â
What are the new late-night restaurant timings in Assam?
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Wednesday a major policy shift, extending restaurant operating hours across Guwahati and several other districts. The Chief Minister has explicitly authorized the Kamrup (Metro) District Administration in Guwahati to allow restaurants to remain open until 3:30 AM on July 15, 16, 19, and 20.
To make the order inclusive for fans living outside the capital city, CM Sarma has also empowered individual district administrations across Assam to grant identical extensions. However, these regional permissions will be contingent on formal requests submitted by local Restaurant Owners’ Associations alongside visible public demand.
Taking to the social media platform X, the Chief Minister emphasized the cultural power of the sport, writing:
“Football unites people, and we want our sports lovers to enjoy the FIFA World Cup semi-finals and final without inconvenience. I have authorized the District Administration in Guwahati to extend restaurant operating hours till 3:30 AM on the 15th, 16th, 19th, and 20th of July to facilitate fans watching the matches. I have authorized the District Administrations in other districts to permit similar extensions wherever there is a request from the Restaurant Owners’ Associations and local public demand. Enjoy the beautiful game responsibly.”
Which other Indian states have extended food service hours for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Assam isn’t the only state adjusting its curfew to accommodate the late-night broadcasting schedules. Just a day prior on Tuesday, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced a similar night-life relaxation for Bengaluru and other parts of the state. Food service timings for hotels and establishments in Karnataka have been pushed back from the standard 1:00 AM deadline to 3:30 AM on July 14, 15, and 19. This administrative relief was directly prompted by an official request from the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), enabling fans to experience the tournament climaxes together in public hubs.
(With inputs from ANI)
