Football fans in Bradford hoping for a tipple while watching next summer's World Cup are set to be disappointed.

Today the district's landlords said they are unlikely to throw open their doors as early as 6am to cover England's matches during the tournament in South Korea and Japan next summer.

The Government had said it would look favourably on applications for special licences from landlords.

But John Newsham, of the Ferrand Arms in Bingley, said he would be keeping his doors firmly shut at such an early hour.

"I won't even think about opening at that time. I can't see many people who would as it's too early in the morning," he said.

And Francis Mulloy, manager of the Halfway House in Birkenshaw, agreed. "There will be the interest in the football, but not to go to the pub and watch it at that time in the morning, he said.

"It's far too early to get a pub full of people and I wouldn't think I'd be opening."

But despite the fact that BBC and ITV have both won the rights to broadcast the games on terrestrial channels, there are a few pubs considering the prospect of opening that early.

Thomas and Yvonne Dignan, managers at The Branch in Shipley, said: "We'll wait until nearer the time and see what call we have for it, see what the company says, but there would have to be a good demand because we have staff costs and other overheads to cover.''

Although the pub industry did not ask for a change in the licensing laws for the games, they have been given the option to apply for the special licences if they feel it would be beneficial.

However, the decisions on whether they would be granted would lie in the hands of the police and local magistrates under the rules of the Licensing Act 1964.