King Charles has approved a one-off bank holiday in Scotland to allow fans to watch the national team's first World Cup match since 1998. The Tartan Army will face Haiti at Gillette Stadium near Boston on Sunday June 14, with the match kicking off at 2am UK time.
First Minister John Swinney proposed the holiday to give supporters time to recover before returning to work on Monday. He said: “Scotland will be on the world stage this summer and I want as many people as possible to be able to celebrate that moment.” The holiday has received royal approval, though schools and many workplaces will remain open.
England fans have also raised hopes of a bank holiday should the Three Lions win the World Cup. Early Day Motions have been submitted to the House of Commons calling for Monday July 20 2026 to be designated an additional bank holiday in the event of victory. Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy said: “An England World Cup victory would be a once in a lifetime moment. A Bank Holiday to mark it would be a small but unifying way for the nation to come together.”
However, the government has previously ruled out a World Cup bank holiday, with a spokesperson stating: “The current pattern of public and bank holidays is well established, and there are no plans to change this.” No bank holiday was granted when the Lionesses reached the World Cup final in 2023.
