England fans demand bank holiday so they can watch World Cup showdown with Mexico

England fans are demanding a bank holiday on Monday so they watch every kick of the early hours World Cup showdown with Mexico.

The Government is letting the nations pubs stay open until 5am in case the 1am last-16 kick-off rumbles into extra time and penalties. Sir Keir Starmer has urged fans to watch it down the boozer with pals.

But he has stopped short of giving folk the day off to recover. That means millions face the prospect of rolling up for work bleary-eyed, washed out and hungover after just a couple of hours sleep following what looks set to be an emotional rollercoaster.

Research suggests just one in five employers is willing to impose flexible hours so staff can sleep off the match then work late to catch up. Up to two million workers plan to throw a sickie. Those who stagger in are likely to turn Britain into a Zombie Nation of half-dead staff.

Fans moaned it was unfair to expect them to crawl out of bed and head into the office hours after supporting the team in its biggest match for four years. The winner will play Brazil or Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals in Miami, Florida, the following Saturday (July 11).

Social media has been flooded with pleas from desperate workers begging bosses for mercy. One wrote on Reddit: My plan is to go to sleep at 10pm, wake up for the match and watch it, go back to bed, then roll out of bed at 8:55am. Ill be knackered but at least Ill have a good few hours of sleep and a bit of caffeine should get me over the edge.

Another said: I think it will be a short nap then wake up and smash a coffee. Someone replied: Its Mexico mate. Smash a tequila in there. Another supporter wrote in a football forum: I wont be in any state to speak let alone work. Zombie time.

Following Englands dramatic last-32 victory over DR Congo England boss Thomas Tuchel urged parents to let their kids stay up to watch the Mexico match - then bunk off school.

He said: Write an excuse for school and let them watch football. They have so much school to go to but the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch, there will be a big, big match in four days and we need the support of everyone and especially of the children.

But Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said watching the match did not necessarily mean children had to miss school. It's a late game, but children can be in school the next day, she said.

It's for parents to decide how they manage this and it depends on the age of your children, how they feel. But this is about decisions for individual families.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said there would be no bank holiday. Though they are backing the England team all the way the current pattern of bank and public holidays is well established.

Scotlands Tartan Army was granted a bank holiday on Monday June 15 so fans could watch the nations first appearance at a World Cup in 28 years - a 2am kick-off versus Haiti. The team won 1-0 but is already home after losing its other two group games and failing to qualify for the knockout stages.

England fans may get a bank holiday but only if the Three Lions lift the trophy. In January a motion was published in the House of Commons for a bank holiday on Monday July 20.

It reads: This house notes that the final of the 2026 World Cup will be played on Sunday July 19 2026, recognises that a World Cup victory by England would be a rare national moment likely to bring together families, neighbours and communities across the country.

Including through local celebrations in town centres, community venues and grassroots sports clubs, believes that enabling people to celebrate together would strengthen community spirit and provide an opportunity for shared civic pride, and calls on the government, in the event of England winning the World Cup on July 19 2026, to designate Monday, July 20 2026, as an additional bank holiday.

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