This was the scene at Kirton Leisure Centre as England fans celebrated their team’s victory over Norway in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup.

Thanks to the late kick-off and a need for extra time, the game did not finish until the early hours of Sunday (July 12), with England triumphing 2-1.

Chloe Nash, landlady, said: “We reached full capacity by 8pm, two hours before kick-off, so unfortunately we had to stop letting customers in from that point onwards.

“While it was disappointing to have to turn people away, it was a fantastic night, and we’re incredibly proud to have shown all of the World Cup games and support England through their achievements with so many people from our local community.

Stills from a video shared by Kirton Leisure Centre, showing celebrations following England's win over Norway.

placeholder image — Stills from a video shared by Kirton Leisure Centre, showing celebrations following England's win over Norway.

“The support and atmosphere were amazing and made it a night to remember. It feels like we will look back and remember this time as historical and nostalgic. England have done us proud and our customers have made it an honour to work through such a busy but special time.”

While the Norway match finished late, it was still a lot earlier than the Mexico one in the previous round, which wrapped up about 4am.

That game was also well supported at the leisure centre, Chloe said.

“It was an amazing turn out for that time in the morning,” she said. “Spirits stayed high even after it got postponed an hour. England have the best fans.”