Sir Keir Starmer gives big clue about England World Cup holiday and shares the date
Sir Keir Starmer has just hinted that there might be a UK bank holiday if England wins the World Cup.
Thomas Tuchel’s team beat Mexico in a tough 3-2 game at the Azteca Stadium on Sunday night. Now, England will face Erling Haaland and Norway, who recently knocked out Brazil. The Three Lions still have a lot to do to bring the trophy home and add a second star to their shirts, but the excitement is definitely growing across the country.
Starmer hasn’t been quick to agree to a bank holiday for England’s recent football successes — even after the Lionesses won two Women’s Euros in a row. He also said no to a bank holiday so fans could watch the early morning Mexico match but did allow pubs to stay open until 5am.
But things might be changing. Speaking at the NATO summit, Starmer said, “I don’t want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final.” He called the win in Mexico City one of the best England games he’s ever seen and confirmed he didn’t try to get a red card overturned like Donald Trump did once.
Back in June, Scotland was given a bank holiday for their first World Cup game in 28 years, with King Charles agreeing after the First Minister suggested it. The holiday let fans watch Scotland’s game against Haiti, which started at 2am.
The World Cup final will be on Sunday, July 19, at the MetLife Stadium. Starmer is expected to go if England make it, just like he did for the Euro 2024 final in Berlin. Starmer, a big Arsenal fan, is set to be replaced by Andy Burnham, former Mayor of Greater Manchester, probably the day after the final. But this could be pushed back if England reach the final — and the bank holiday might be too, to fit in a big welcome and parade for the team when they get back from the US.
Reports say Friday, July 24, could be the day for a special bank holiday. If England beat Norway, they’ll play the winner of Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-final on July 15 in Atlanta. The potential final opponents could be France, Morocco, Spain, or Belgium, with games continuing on Thursday after a short break.