The whole country is bracing for one giant football party and Delhi just made sure nobody has to go home early. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Saturday that restaurants, cafes and other eligible establishments across the capital can stay open till 4 am this weekend for the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.

The stage is set for a high stakes summit clash. Defending champions Argentina will face Spain in New York, with the Argentines eyeing a historic fourth World Cup title and a rare back-to-back win.

In a post on X, Gupta wrote, “Every football fan has watched Lionel Messi make history. Now, history has one more story to tell…One night that generations will remember. Delhi is ready for that night.”

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According to Gupta, the relaxed timing has been made possible under the city’s 24×7 business-friendly operating framework, part of the government’s broader ease-of-doing-business push. The CM further said that the move will let the capital experience “football’s biggest night” together, with venues free to welcome fans well past midnight.

Other cities also gear up for FIFA final

Delhi is not alone in rolling out the red carpet for football lovers. Earlier, Bengaluru’s City Police Commissioner extended food service timings for hotels and restaurants till 3.30 am for the World Cup semi-finals and final.

Over in West Bengal, the celebrations are set to be even bigger. The state government will host a live screening of the final on a giant screen in Kolkata. Similar big-screen setups are planned across other districts too, with every district administration directed to arrange screening facilities.

An allocation of ₹1 lakh per district has been made for the purpose, PTI reported via an official notification from Additional Chief Secretary Rajesh Pande.

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ARG vs SPAIN FIFA World Cup 2026 Final

As for the football itself, both finalists have earned their spot the hard way. Spain edged past France 2-0 in the semi-final, while Argentina squeezed past England 2-1 in a tense encounter. Argentina now chase their fourth star, having lifted the trophy in 1978, 1986 and 2022. A win would make them the first team since Brazil’s golden run of 1958 and 1962 to defend the World Cup successfully.

Meanwhile Spain is chasing only their second title, sixteen years after their famous 2010 win over the Netherlands.

For fans in India, the game will begin at midnight 12.30 Indian time on July 20. Before that, England and France will battle it out for third place, kicking off at 12.30 am IST on July 19. Set your alarms as this one’s worth staying up for.