King Charles III grants Scotland World Cup bank holiday
King Charles III has approved a one-off bank holiday in Scotland to celebrate the national team's first FIFA World Cup appearance in nearly three decades.
King Charles III has approved a special one-off bank holiday in Scotland to mark the nation's return to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1998.
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The holiday will take place on Monday 15 June, following Scotland’s opening match against Haiti, which is scheduled to kick off in Boston on the evening of 14 June local time, equivalent to 2am in Scotland.
The move was proposed by Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney, who said the extra day would allow supporters to celebrate the national team’s historic qualification and recover after watching the late-night fixture.
“I want as many people as possible to enjoy and celebrate this moment,” Swinney said, thanking the King for approving the proposal.
While many fans have welcomed the announcement, some critics have questioned why a bank holiday is being granted for Scotland’s World Cup return when similar measures were not introduced for England during previous major tournaments.
Scotland secured its place at the 2026 World Cup after defeating Denmark 4-2 in November, ending a 28-year absence from football’s biggest stage.