"No objection if peace is maintained": Residents divided over Assam's FIFA night curfew relaxation

The Assam government has extended restaurant operating hours across the state on select dates to enable football fans to watch the late-night FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals and final without inconvenience, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Wednesday, July 15.

Under the decision, the Kamrup (Metro) district administration has been authorised to allow restaurants in Guwahati to remain open until 3:30 a.m. on July 15, 16, 19 and 20. The Chief Minister also directed district administrations across Assam to grant similar relaxations wherever there is demand from restaurant owners' associations and local residents.

Announcing the decision on social media, Sarma said the move was aimed at ensuring football enthusiasts could enjoy the marquee matches without disruption. "Football unites people, and we want our sports lovers to enjoy the FIFA World Cup semi-finals and final without inconvenience," he said, while urging fans to celebrate responsibly.

The decision has drawn mixed reactions from restaurant owners and residents.

A restaurant owner in Guwahati's Uzan Bazaar said the extended operating hours would remain optional and that each establishment would decide independently whether to remain open until 3:30 a.m. He noted that the decision would depend on factors such as customer demand, staffing availability and the additional wage costs involved in operating through the night.

Residents in the area expressed differing views over the relaxation. Some raised concerns that late-night restaurant operations and match screenings could lead to increased traffic congestion, noise and inconvenience for nearby neighbourhoods. They said the enthusiasm surrounding the FIFA World Cup should be balanced with the need to maintain public peace during late-night hours.

Others welcomed the government's decision, saying they had no objection to restaurants operating later provided law and order is maintained and the extended business hours do not adversely affect local residents. They stressed that responsible conduct by both restaurant operators and customers would be essential for the arrangement to work smoothly.

The success of the initiative is expected to depend on effective enforcement by local authorities and responsible compliance by establishments operating during the extended hours.

Assam's decision follows a similar move by the Karnataka government, which recently allowed restaurants and hotels in Bengaluru to remain open until 3:30 a.m. on select FIFA World Cup match days after a request from the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), enabling football fans to watch the tournament's late-night fixtures