UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, is preparing to grant a bank holiday if England win the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Reports suggest that the government will announce Friday, July 24, as the most likely date for the national celebrations.
So far, the official announcement has not made with Starmer telling reporters at the Nato summit last week: “On the questions of a bank holiday, I don’t want to jinx it, but ask me again id we get to the final.”
If the holiday is announced on July 24, it will give team sufficient time to return from the final which is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at New Jersey MetLife Stadium.
England will play defending champions Argentina in the semi-final match taking place on Wednesday while France and Spain are playing their semi-final match today. Starmer will have to go to America for the final match if England manages to beat Argentina in the semi-final match.
This would create an issue for the departing Prime Minister since the match is scheduled for 8 p.m. BST and will end around 11 p.m. UK time. He will then have to fly to London, make his final speech from Downing Street, and recommend Andy Burnham as his successor to the King within a few hours after the match ends.
For now, it is also unclear the whether the bank holiday would apply across the entire UK, as bank holiday arrangements differ between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Scotland has already enjoyed a national day off this year after qualifying for its first World Cup since 1998.
2026-07-14 20:02:00
