Sir Keir Starmer has indicated that an extra day off could be granted should England triumph at the World Cup.
The Prime Minister offered this observation as anticipation grows ahead of England’s meeting with Norway in the last eight of the competition.
England are scheduled to compete on Saturday, July 11, and under Thomas Tuchel’s leadership, the team now requires just three victories to claim the World Cup trophy.
Starmer commented that while he does not wish to tempt fate, he would revisit the bank holiday question if England reach the championship match.
A post shared by England football team (@england)
Before any celebration of that magnitude could materialise, England would need to overcome the quarter-final, semi-final, and final stages in succession.
The World Cup showpiece is set for Sunday, July 19.
It is generally anticipated that Starmer will vacate Downing Street the following day, with Andy Burnham taking over as Prime Minister.
Should England reach the final, it appears probable that Starmer would attend the match, which might cause a brief postponement of the transfer of power.
Sources suggest that the proposed additional bank holiday would fall on the Friday following England’s potential victory on July 24.
The question of whether a bank holiday should be introduced if England win the World Cup
Although this remains a theoretical possibility, the notion of an extra public holiday in the event of England winning the World Cup has sparked some discussion.
Programmes such as Good Morning Britain addressed this topic on Thursday morning, July 9, with viewers expressing varied viewpoints.
In a post on X seeking audience opinions, some respondents opposed the proposal.
One individual wrote that such a day off would hold no significance for ordinary workers, as retail staff, NHS employees, and those in manufacturing and hospitality sectors would still be required to work, though it would benefit those in office-based corporate roles.
Another posted that this would amount to a meaningless bank holiday, pointing out that no public holiday was granted when the Queen died, and describing the situation as a joke.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has suggested there could be a bank holiday if England win the World Cup, potentially occurring on the following Friday. Should such a day be introduced?
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) July 9, 2026
Not everyone shared this perspective, with another commentator noting that Scotland received a Monday bank holiday for a match against Haiti, which kicked off on the preceding Sunday, and questioning why the same should not apply.
However, in response, another user clarified that in Scotland, only certain local authorities granted their staff a public holiday, while the majority operated as normal.
On another thread on X, a different user cautioned against getting carried away, reminding readers that England must first overcome Erling Haaland and Norway in the quarter-final this weekend, advising that the team should focus on one match at a time to avoid tempting fate.
What are your thoughts on whether there should be a bank holiday if England win the World Cup? Share your views in the comments or participate in the poll above.