Bars and restaurants outside New York City can now serve alcohol until 4 a.m. during the World Cup, following a measure signed by Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday, June 9. The temporary change aligns upstate and suburban closing times with those in the five boroughs, which have long had 4 a.m. last call.
The new rule comes just as group stage matches kick off and soccer fans gather late into the night. Earlier this week, bar owners in Buffalo and Albany reported an uptick in calls from regulars asking about extended hours for viewing international fixtures.
Previously, last call outside the city varied by county, with some locales closing as early as 2 a.m. The new measure standardizes hours statewide for the duration of the tournament. The State Liquor Authority confirmed the change is temporary and applies only during the World Cup period.
Several Manhattan bars have already announced watch parties for late-night matches, with similar plans underway in Rochester and Syracuse. At a bar in Astoria on Wednesday night, staff said they expect larger crowds for matches that stretch past midnight.
The extension is expected to last through the final match in July. After that, state law will revert to previous closing times outside the city.