Millions of football fans are threatening to call in sick on Monday should England clinch victory at the finals of Euro 2024 on Sunday.
Bosses are already braced for a wave of sickies after PM Sir Keir Starmer raised hopes a day of national celebrations could be on the cards, should the Three Lions romp to an historic win against Spain in Berlin.
Meanwhile, schools are preparing to open later on Monday, while thousands of Tesco Express shops will be shutting early on Sunday to let staff watch the game.
Sir Keir has insisted he wanted to ‘mark the occasion’ but stopped short of guaranteeing a bank holiday to give millions the chance to revel in a glory, saying he didn’t want to ‘jinx’ anything by pre-empting the result.
Now, one of the nation’s biggest unions – which represents more than five million people – has ramped up the pressure and appealed for fans to be given a day off.
Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC, appealed for a ‘special day’ for the nation to be staged – and for employers to ‘show as much flexibility as possible’.
England fans celebrate at Boxpark Wembley in North West London on Wednesday evening
England fans at Peckham Arches in London react after Harry Kane scores on Wednesday night
England’s players celebrate in the semi-final against the Netherlands in Dortmund last night
He told MailOnline: ‘We all hope the England football team get across the line on Sunday. Millions up and down the land will be cheering them on.
‘Games like this don’t come around very often. It would be great if employers could show as much flexibility as possible so that their staff can enjoy watching the match.
‘And if England win, I’d love to see a special day to mark the men’s team’s first victory in a major tournament since 1966.’
When Argentina won the World Cup in 2022, the government there declared it a public holiday to celebrate their triumph over France.
PM Sir Keir previously called for a bank holiday in 2021 ahead of the Euro 2020 final, which England eventually lost to Italy.
Speaking to the Mirror at the time: ‘If we win on Sunday, the country should get the chance to celebrate it properly with an extra bank holiday, granted in the name of the England team.’
However speaking to reporters this week, Sir Keir said: ‘We should certainly mark the occasion, I don’t want to jinx it. I went to the last Euros final, I don’t want to go through that again.
‘I don’t want to jinx anything but we must mark it in some way. But the most important thing is getting it over the line on Sunday.’
Sir Geoff Hurst, who scored a hat-trick when England won the 1966 World Cup, has launched a Change.org campaign urging King Charles III to grant a bank holiday.
Millions of England fans are hoping to have the day off on Monday. Pictured are some of the scenes of celebrations in Croydon when England beat the Netherlands in Wednesday’s semi-final
Asked whether he would back a bank holiday if England are victorious, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told broadcasters in Washington DC today: ‘We should certainly mark the occasion, I don’t want to jinx it. I went to the last Euros final, I don’t want to go through that again’
Sir Geoff Hurst (left) scored a hat-trick when England won the 1966 World Cup (right)
Sir Geoff has launched a Change.org campaign urging King Charles III to grant a bank holiday
The Three Lions will play Spain on Sunday in Berlin in an 8pm kick-off with millions of excited supporters set to watch the match back home with friends and family.
Thousands of fans have already started to make the trip to Germany in hope of watching Gareth Southgate‘s side make history by bagging the men’s team’s first tournament victory since winning the World Cup in 1966.
And as the blockbuster game inches closer, schools in England have already told parents that they can send their children in late on Monday morning after staying up for the Euro 2024 final the night before.
Meanwhile. some adult fans are expecting to call in sick to work, with one telling BBC Radio Nottingham last night: ‘No one’s going to work on Monday, we’re all going to get s*** faced.’
And an HR expert warned of a ‘tsunami of sick calls, annual leave requests and lateness’ on Monday, the day after the game.
Some 1.5million workers are set to have a day’s holiday on Monday, with annual leave requests already up 121 per cent on average and expected to rise significantly in the coming hours, according to figures from BrightHR. Another 1.5million staff are set to call in sick.
Hundreds of thousands more are expected to be late, with 10million set to work from home. BrightHR, which monitors attendance across 50,000 UK companies, said sickness absence soared by 232 per cent the day after England’s Euro 2020 final.
Social media has been awash with England fans pushing for a bank holiday, with some even claiming they will take the day off regardless.
One user said: ‘Demanding a day off! Pull sickies then, take a day off. What is your issue. Most of you will anyway. Doesn’t need a bank holiday. Many people still have to go to work.’
Another posted: ‘I wish everyone would stop going on about a Bank Holiday if England win Euro2024.
‘Be an adult and get so drunk you can’t work on Monday if your team win.’
A third added: ‘Booked Monday off weeks ago and surprised people are only booking/trying to book it off now.’
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A study, by Paddy Power Games, asked the nation how likely they would be to fake an illness to take the day off work on Monday, with one-in-four admitting they’d do so.
More than 4.7 million football fans, equating to seven per cent of the nation, would definitely fake ‘sickness’ after watching England compete to lift the coveted trophy, the betting site.
And younger Britons are already lining up their excuses, with 42 per cent of Millennials – those aged 27 to 42 – and 38 per cent of GenZers having already lined up their excuses.
England fans have already started to travel to Berlin ahead of this weekend’s Euro’s final. Pictured are supporters outside Berlin’s central train station
More England supporters were spotted on Friday arriving in Berlin to witness the historic clash
As excitement continues to build, England captain Harry Kane was spotted signing balls and autographs at Spa & Golf Resort Weimarer Land on Friday
Ollie Watkins of England and Marc Guehi of England celebrate with the fans after their side’s victory in Wednesday’s semi-final clash – with Watkins scoring the winning goal
The study also asked Brits what excuses they would most likely use with one in 10 claiming the perfect excuse is a ‘headache/migraine’ (11 per cent). Being in pain (seven per cent) was the second most popular excuse.
Meanwhile, five per cent of people said they would have no hesitation in saying they had diarrhea.
It comes as Britons are preparing for a massive weekend as they plan to pack out pubs, attend screenings or get the barbecue out to watch the match. An estimated three million workers have booked annual leave or will call in sick on Monday.
The biggest public screening is set to be at The O2, where up to 15,000 fans will be able to cheer on England in an event organised by London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Other fan parks, pubs and bars across the country will also be broadcasting the game as hospitality businesses aim to cash in on the mounting excitement. Some fans have even called for a bank holiday if England win the Euros for the first time.
Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, told MailOnline: ‘If the England Men’s team win a major tournament for the first time since 1966, workers definitely deserve a day off on Monday to celebrate.
‘In burnout Britain, we love our bank holidays. If we beat Spain, The Government should make Monday a bank holiday so we can all celebrate together what would be an historic victory.’
And the AA has warned of traffic chaos due to the M25 being closed in both directions between junctions ten and 11 between 9pm tomorrow and 6am next Monday, meaning a 10-mile diversion will be in place using the A3, A240 and A245.
Its experts said this would affect fans driving to watch the game with friends in London as well as those heading to Germany, the Wimbledon finals, Thorpe Park, Legoland, Gatwick and Heathrow airports and to beaches on the south coast.
St Charles’ Roman Catholic Primary School in Rishton, Lancashire, is keeping registers open until 10.30am on Monday so children can stay up for the match the night before (file photo)
The match will be broadcast on both BBC One, with coverage from 7pm, and ITV1, with coverage from 6.30pm. There will also be radio commentary on BBC 5 Live.
Tesco‘s 1,800 Express stores will shut at 7.30pm instead of the usual 10pm or 11pm to allow staff to watch the final and still receive their normal pay for those hours.
And Iceland said beer sales are expected to soar 250 per cent in the next 72 hours with pizza and curry sales up 150 per cent amid a three-day shopping splurge.
Schools are now starting to offer delayed starts to pupils on Monday, with parents taking to social media to request leniency after a late night.
Patrick Kennedy, headteacher of St Charles’ Roman Catholic Primary School in Rishton, Lancashire, said: ‘This could be history in the making – and we know many of our children want to be a part of it. They will be glued to the TV and up until after 10pm.
‘It is also a learning experience, with the national anthem, the players’ responsibility and the respect which should be shown to the opposition.
‘Registers will be kept open until 10.30am on Monday so children who stay up late can have an extra hour or two in bed and be well rested. Come on England!’
West Wycombe School in Buckinghamshire is also offering pupils a later start. Staff said in a post on X: ‘England are in the final of the Euros and everyone here is buzzing!
‘We are allowing children a ‘soft start’ on Monday so that they may stay up a bit later on Sunday to see the big match. Children can arrive anytime from 8.30am to 10.30am and it won’t affect their attendance.’
Woodlands Primary School in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, is also being flexible on the start time.
England fans at the AO Arena in Manchester celebrate after the semi-final win last night
England fans chant and sing as they gather at Stevenson Square in Manchester last night
The school said in a note to parents and carers: ‘Due to the England team getting through to the Euro finals, we are aware that a number of children will be watching the match and going to bed late.
‘Therefore, we will be leaving the registrations open until 9.25am on Monday morning. Children are invited into school at the usual time of 8.55am but will not get a late mark if in before 9.25am.’
Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told MailOnline that the decision on allowing pupils to arrive late was up to schools.
He said: ‘Schools are best placed to make decisions about what arrangements work best in their context, taking into account the understandable excitement that many children will feel about the England football team.
Jubilant England fans celebrate at Boxpark in Croydon, South London, yesterday evening
England fans at Peckham Arches in South London celebrate the team’s victory last night
‘Occasions such as this create a sense of community and an interest in sport that has great benefits to young people. Schools, along with the rest of the country, will be wishing Gareth Southgate’s magnificent team every success in Sunday’s final.’
No English men’s team has made it to a major final on foreign soil before and now they have the chance to become European champions for the first time.
Prince William, as president of the Football Association, is expected to be in the stands on Sunday – but this is yet to be confirmed by Kensington Palace.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who was able to watch some of the semi-final while attending a Nato summit in Washington DC, has confirmed he will be at the Olympiastadion Berlin on Sunday.
England and Wales currently get eight bank holidays a year, while Scotland and Northern Ireland get nine and 10 respectively.
Two extra one-off bank holidays were held across the UK in 2022, one for the Queen’s platinum jubilee and another for her funeral.
The King’s coronation in May 2023 was also a bank holiday.
