Delhi’s restaurants and cafes to stay open till 4am for Argentina-Spain FIFA World Cup final: ‘One night that…’ | Today’s news

Ahead of this weekend’s World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday announced that restaurants, cafes and other eligible establishments across the capital can remain open till 4 am, allowing football fans to gather and watch the much-anticipated clash together.

Sharing the announcement on X, Ms. Gupta said the extended hours are possible under the Delhi government’s 24×7 business framework, which was introduced as part of the ease of doing business reforms.

“Every football fan has seen Lionel Messi make history. Now history has one more story to tell,” she wrote.

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Delhi restaurants, cafes and eligible businesses may remain open till 4am due to a special announcement by the Chief Minister to allow fans to come together and enjoy the match together within a business-friendly operational framework.

The 24×7 business-friendly framework allows restaurants and cafes to extend their opening hours, making it easier for fans to dine at night during major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup final.

Hotels and restaurants in Bengaluru were allowed to extend their dining timings up to 3.30 am on certain match days following a request from the National Restaurant Association of India.

The FIFA World Cup finals between Argentina and Spain have led to the announcement that restaurants and cafes in Delhi may stay open late for fans.

Allowing extended hours during the FIFA World Cup final aims to boost Delhi’s night-time economy by allowing businesses to serve customers late and giving fans a chance to celebrate together.

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The Chief Minister added: “A legend. A child prodigy. One trophy. One night to be remembered for generations.”

She concluded her post by saying, “Delhi is ready for the night.”

Ms Gupta explained the move as follows: “With the 24/7 business framework already in place, which our government has facilitated through business reforms, restaurants, cafes and other eligible establishments across the capital can welcome fans until 4am this weekend, making it easier for the city to experience football’s biggest night together.”

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The announcement comes ahead of the FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, which is expected to keep football fans across India up into the wee hours. Several restaurants and cafes in Delhi are likely to host live screenings of the match, giving fans a chance to watch the final together.

According to the chief minister, the current policy framework allows eligible establishments to stay open late, allowing businesses to serve customers during major global sporting events while boosting Delhi’s night-time economy.

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While Ms. Gupta referred to a “legend” and “teenage prodigy” in her post, she did not identify any players or teams.

Her announcement quickly attracted attention online, with many football fans welcoming the decision to allow late-night screenings in restaurants and cafes across the city.

Earlier, the Karnataka government on Tuesday allowed hotels and restaurants in Bengaluru to remain open and serve food till 3.30 am on July 14, 15 and 19 in view of the FIFA World Cup matches, PTI reported.

On the request of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), the government has released the timings for July 14, 15 and 19, when the World Cup matches are scheduled, it said in a statement.

Under the provisions of the Karnataka Police Act, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh issued an order allowing night screening of matches, he added.

Taking to social media platform ‘X’, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that football inspires millions of people across the world and the FIFA World Cup is a celebration fans eagerly look forward to.

“On the request of the National Restaurant Association of India, our government has allowed hotels and restaurants in Bengaluru to extend their serving time from 1 am to 3.30 am,” he said on specific match days.

Shivakumar said this decision was taken while ensuring public safety, law and order and convenience of citizens remain our top priorities.