GENEVA, July 11, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Pubs and restaurants in many cantons and cities in Switzerland will be allowed to stay open all night on Saturday to allow football fans to watch their World Cup quarter-final against Argentina which kicks off at 3am local time (0100GMT) on Sunday morning.

In Geneva, the cantonal authorities announced in a press release all public establishments in the cafe-restaurant and bar categories could open "without time restrictions during the night of July 11 to 12 and to show the match".

Switzerland, who have qualified for the quarter-finals of a World Cup for the first time since 1954, face Lionel Messi's much-fancied Argentina, the reigning world champions, overnight in Kansas City.

For the Nati, as the Swiss team is known, it is a chance to avenge the shattered dream of the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup, when Argentina won at the very end of extra-time.

According to the ATS-Keystone agency, the cantons of Jura and Bern have granted a similar exceptional waiver for public establishments.

The curfew has also been lifted in a number of other cities including Lausanne, Sion and Sierre while Zurich has granted a "Freinacht" ("sleepless night") in indoor restaurants and bars.

The canton of Basel-Landschaft has likewise "authorised extended opening hours for restaurants and bars, including those operating temporarily as part of the World Cup," until 6am local time on Sunday.