Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce that England will receive an extra bank holiday if the men's national team wins the World Cup. The outgoing Labour Party Prime Minister will reportedly greenlight the holiday should Thomas Tuchel's squad triumph in the tournament.
Proposed Date and Celebrations
According to The Guardian, the most likely date for the bank holiday would be Friday 24 July. This timing would allow the team to travel back from the final, scheduled for Sunday 19 July in New Jersey, and give the Football Association a few days to organise an open-top bus parade through central London.
Starmer is set to step down as prime minister the day after the potential holiday, with Andy Burnham taking over. Should England reach the final, the prime minister might attend the match, which could briefly delay the handover of power.
Recent Victory and Team Confidence
England's 3-2 win in Mexico City has been hailed as their best World Cup performance since the 1966 final. Thomas Tuchel expressed optimism about the team's prospects, stating: "It fuels our belief that we are here to stay. We are in a part of a tournament, round of 32, round of 16, where you just need to find a way to stay in the tournament, you need to find a way to win. Then, from the quarter-final, it's eight teams and everyone can win it. We will stay with the motto, step by step, and game by game. But of course, matches like this, you can only win them with belief, and it will just fuel our belief."
Starmer's Cautious Stance
When asked about the possibility of an extra day off for people in England, Sir Keir said: "On the question of a bank holiday, I think I don't want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final." This cautious remark came as the team continues its campaign, with the nation hopeful of a historic victory.
