King Charles has approved a World Cup bank holiday for Scotland on Monday 15 June 2026, following a proposal by First Minister John Swinney. The holiday marks Scotland's first appearance in the men's football finals since 1998.
The bank holiday applies only to Scotland, allowing people and businesses to celebrate after the team's opening game against Haiti. The match kicks off at 2am BST on Sunday 14 June.
First Minister Swinney expressed gratitude to the King, saying the holiday enables Scotland to 'come together and celebrate' regardless of the match outcome. He encouraged employers to make arrangements for staff to join the celebrations.
Meanwhile, a motion in the UK Parliament proposes a bank holiday in England on Monday 20 July 2026, but only if England wins the World Cup. England's first game is against Croatia on 17 June at 9pm BST.
