Public Viewing for the World Cup: Applications Can Still Be Submitted at the Last Minute
Due to the current exceptionally high temperatures and the high level of public interest in the World Cup, the city administration has received requests to be allowed to show Germany’s matches—even those that, now that the tournament is in its final stages, start at 10 p.m. or later—in outdoor dining areas.
The city administration notes that restaurants and bars in Mainz can still apply for a special permit for these late-night games, even on short notice. Applications can be submitted informally to the email address of the City of Mainz’s Parks and Environment Department (gruen-umweltamtstadt.mainzde). Applications will be processed quickly and without red tape.
The City of Mainz had already issued a new general ruling on May 28 governing “public viewing” during the 2026 Men’s Soccer World Cup (June 11 through July 19, 2026, in the United States, Mexico, and Canada). This order allows for exceptions to noise protection regulations for public outdoor television broadcasts (“public viewing”) as well as for the operation of associated outdoor food and beverage services. This became necessary due to the significant time difference with the host locations in North America. The new regulation establishes the legal framework for this. The detailed provisions can be found in the general ruling published by the state capital in the Amtsblatt on May 28, 2026. These provisions apply to matches scheduled to kick off by 9:00 p.m. or 10:00 p.m.
For later matches involving the German national team that start at 10:00 p.m. or 11:00 p.m., a special permit may be applied for, as described.