Starmer hints at bank holiday for England's first World Cup win in 60 years

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has hinted that England winning the 2026 World Cup would trigger a national bank holiday, though he declined to make any formal announcement ahead of the final. Speaking to reporters at the Nato summit in Ankara on Wednesday, Starmer said he did not want to “jinx” the team’s chances.

“I don’t want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final,” Starmer told reporters, suggesting a day off could fall on Friday 25 July — giving the squad time to return from the final, scheduled for the previous Sunday.

England are currently riding high after a 3-2 victory over Mexico and now face Norway in a quarter-final in Miami on Saturday. Should they progress, a semi-final against either Argentina or Switzerland in Atlanta on 15 July awaits.

Starmer praised Monday’s win over Mexico as “one of the best England performances I’ve ever seen” and made light of the upcoming clash with Norway, reminding Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre that England have historically only won the World Cup under a Labour government. “For 90 minutes on Saturday evening, we’ll have to go our different ways,” Starmer said.

The Prime Minister also addressed calls for him to intervene and have Jarell Quansah’s red card against Mexico overturned — a comparison drawn to Donald Trump’s successful lobbying of FIFA to lift US player Folarin Balogun’s ban ahead of the match against Belgium. Starmer was unequivocal: “I hasten to add, I haven’t attempted to do that.”

The prospect of a bank holiday has already drawn political opposition. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she would “probably not” back the idea, arguing that the private sector would continue working while the public sector took the day off, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill.

The debate follows a bank holiday declared in Scotland in June to mark the country’s first appearance in a men’s football final in decades — a proposal approved by King Charles after First Minister John Swinney put it forward, leaving many English fans feeling the disparity keenly.