Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has left the door open for an extra Bank Holiday in England should the national football team triumph in the 2026 World Cup. The Labour leader, speaking at the G7 summit in France, declined to dismiss the possibility, drawing parallels to England's 1966 victory under a Labour government.
Starmer's Response to Bank Holiday Calls
When asked directly about declaring a new Bank Holiday if England wins the tournament, Starmer said he did not want to 'jinx' the outcome but noted that the last World Cup win occurred under a Labour administration. He stated, 'I'm not gonna jinx the World Cup. But, you know, the last time we won the World Cup it was a Labour government. And so it's absolutely clear that we only win World Cups under a Labour government. So let's hope that this is the next opportunity.'
Scotland's Extra Bank Holiday
Scotland already enjoyed an additional Bank Holiday earlier this month, granted by the Scottish Government on Monday, June 15, to mark the Scottish national team's first World Cup campaign in decades.
Previous Bank Holiday Discussions
In 2022, when England's women won the Euros, no Bank Holiday was declared. However, Starmer, then Leader of the Opposition, supported the idea of a Bank Holiday if the Lionesses won the 2023 World Cup, calling it 'a proper day of celebration.' After they reached the final in 2023, he tweeted, 'There should be a celebratory bank holiday if the Lionesses bring it home.' The Lionesses lost that final 1-0 to Spain but later won the Euro 2025 trophy, though no Bank Holiday was announced by the Labour government.
