Wales is likely to be granted a bank holiday next week if England win the World Cup, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer expected to declare one in the event of a historic Three Lions victory.
England's Path to the Final
Thomas Tuchel's side have made it through to the semi-finals of the tournament in North America, with a last-four clash against reigning champions Argentina now awaiting them on Wednesday. While it will undoubtedly be their toughest task yet, an England win in that game will see them face either Spain or France in the final on Sunday night.
It has been 60 years since England won their first and, to date, only World Cup. In the event of a second historic win, Starmer has suggested that he will mark it by declaring an extra bank holiday.
Prime Minister's Comments
Speaking at last week's Nato conference after England beat Mexico 3-2 in a thrilling Round of 16 clash, the Prime Minister was quizzed on the prospect of a bank holiday, telling reporters: "I don't want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final."
Bank Holiday Rules for Wales
Bank holidays are reserved matters, which means Westminster decides on them for England and Wales together. While there has been no official confirmation, it would be unprecedented for different rules to apply to England and Wales. Both countries currently have eight bank holidays a year, while Scotland has nine and Northern Ireland has 10.
There have been repeated calls from people in Wales for St David's Day to be a bank holiday and these calls have always been refused. When asked, the UK Government said any additional permanent bank holiday would have "considerable" economic impact. However, a celebratory bank holiday is now expected to be declared in the event of football success, with people in Wales benefitting too.
Potential Date and Announcement
With the World Cup final taking place on Sunday (July 19), the following Friday (July 24) has been earmarked as the most likely date for the bank holiday. If England can make it past Argentina in their semi-final clash on Wednesday night, Starmer is expected to make an announcement as early as Thursday morning regarding a potential bank holiday, which would allow businesses time to prepare if it does happen.
Wales, of course, saw their World Cup dreams ended in their play-off semi-final defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina in March, with Craig Bellamy's side losing on penalties. While both Scotland and Northern Ireland have devolved powers to designate their own public holidays, Wales lacks this authority.
Comparison with Scotland
Last month, a national bank holiday was confirmed in Scotland to mark their national team's first participation at a men's World Cup finals since 1998.
