The British government is telling pubs not to expect the England team to succeed at the World Cup.

Pubs are being allowed to stay open beyond their usual 11pm closing time when England matches in Brazil kick off late.

But a Home Office assessment of the relaxation of licensing laws says that “there is a high probability that (England) will not be playing in the later matches”.

Citing betting information, the government says there is only a 54 per cent probability that England will advance from its group, which includes Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica, and an 11 per cent chance of progressing past the quarter finals.

England won the World Cup on home soil in 1966, but have endured plenty of disappointment since then.

Their best result since 1966 was a semi-final appearance in Italy in 1990.