Keir Starmer has left the door open to granting an extra bank holiday if England wins the World Cup, but said he does not want to “jinx” the team’s success. The football-mad Prime Minister expressed hope for the Three Lions' chances against Croatia in their opening group game.
Asked if he would support a bank holiday should England triumph, Starmer told reporters at the G7 summit: “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. He's got a great squad. This is going to be a good game tonight, probably the hardest in the group games this evening.”
Previous Support for Bank Holiday
In 2022, Starmer backed calls for the then-Tory government to grant an extra bank holiday if the Lionesses won the Euros final. At the time, he urged Boris Johnson to give the nation a day to celebrate, saying: “The whole country will be roaring on the Lionesses in the final on Sunday. They have already done us proud, but if they win it will be a truly historic achievement - one that should be marked with a proper day of celebration, where clubs can open and promote access for women and girls.”
England's World Cup Campaign
England face a tough test against Croatia at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Texas on Wednesday night. Croatia, the back-to-back European Champions, finished third in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Ahead of the game, Starmer said: “Tonight we can dare to dream again. We have a brilliant Three Lions squad, packed with the talent and experience, to get that second star on the shirt. Like every England fan, I'll be roaring on Thomas Tuchel, Harry Kane, and the entire England squad. Come on England!”
Head coach Thomas Tuchel urged his players to be bold and brave as England begins their World Cup quest. “I think we should play brave and play to the strengths of the players,” Tuchel said. “I feel clearly that the players want it and that it helps us, and that they are successful in club football like this.”
The Scottish Government approved a bank holiday on Monday after Scotland's first World Cup fixture in 28 years was held at 2am on Sunday morning.
