Spanish authorities have handed England and Scotland fans a genuinely awkward problem ahead of the 2026 World Cup: bar terraces in Benidorm and Magaluf will be legally required to cut all TV audio after midnight, right in the middle of games that kick off at 10pm or 11pm local time.
The 55-decibel noise cap in Benidorm's Little England district — the stretch of Costa Blanca bars where thousands of travelling supporters are expected to converge — means that by the time England are into the second half of a group game, the sound goes off. Fans either move inside or watch in silence. Neither is a great option when you've flown to Spain specifically to watch football in the sun with a cold lager.
Hoteliers are pushing back
The hotel association Hosbec has written to Benidorm Council asking officials to delay the decibel limit until the final whistle for the three Group L games involving England — against Croatia, Ghana and Panama. A reasonable request, and one the council is expected to agree to, though no formal response has been issued yet.
Magaluf's Calvia Town Hall isn't being quite as flexible. Their decree is blunt: after midnight, screens go silent, TVs must face inward, and there will be no unrestricted opening hours during the tournament. They've made clear they'll fine establishments that don't comply.
The rules, in their current form, apply specifically to England, Scotland, Germany and Spain games in the group stage — which only adds to the frustration. England fans are being singled out by name in noise legislation.
What this actually means for travelling supporters
Tour operators had already flagged an 18% increase in flights between the UK and Alicante for the tournament window. Riot police are being deployed to Benidorm. Evening and night police reinforcements are in place from June 11 to July 19. The infrastructure for a large England following is there — the noise rules are the one thing threatening to kill the atmosphere before it starts.
If Benidorm Council grants Hosbec's request, the group stage problems are manageable. But knockout rounds — which England are expected to reach — could start even later, and the exemption covers only the early games. That's the part nobody's resolved yet.
For now, the best-case scenario for England fans booking holidays is that local councils keep bending their own rules. The worst case is watching a penalty shootout on a muted screen at 1am while being told to keep it down.
