An Employer’s Guide To World Cup 2026
It’s coming home, it’s coming!.... Well maybe, perhaps not but let’s not be a Debbie downer before a ball has even been kicked.
It’s back, the FIFA World Cup returns in 2026 bigger than ever, with more teams, more matches and host cities spread across the USA, Canada and Mexico.
While the football promises to be exciting, the time differences may create some challenges for employers, with certain fixtures kicking off in the early hours of the morning for UK viewers
With weeks and weeks of the beautiful game ahead of us, so how does this affect employers?
Hours and Flexibility
As far as the national side goes (that’s England for us and the purpose of this blog) our campaign kicks off on Wednesday 17th June at 21:00, with further group games on 23rd and 27th June at 21:00 and 22:00 respectively. Relatively respectable compared to some of the published kick-off times of other games (2am, 3am and 5am) makes for a long night or a very early morning. Consider temporary changes to working patterns to accommodate for example coming in a few hours later and working a few hours later which allows employees to watch the early morning kick offs and not be half asleep at their desks.
Lateness and Absence
Most people will find a balance but for those who feel the need to celebrate every match, a kick-off that starts at 22:00 and goes to extra time makes for a very long night! Keep an eye on lateness, issues can still be challenged, it’s only every four years but employees still have a responsibility to turn up to work on time and in a state to complete their duties. Be mindful of absence particularly on the day of or after after big games, but don’t make assumptions not everyone is off with World Cup Fever, some absences will still be genuine.
Annual Leave Requests
You may see an increase in annual leave requests during the tournament, particularly around England fixtures and knockout stages. Make sure requests are handled fairly and consistently in line with your usual annual leave policy. Where possible, plan ahead and encourage employees to submit requests early to avoid disappointment.
Let Everyone Support Their Home Nation
We’ve focused on England but not everyone in your team will be English and there are more teams than ever in this World Cup. It goes without saying however that if you can make adjustments for fans of England thenyou must consider how you can do this so that others can support their home nation. Look at whether you can make arrangements for everyone and accommodate all requirements.
Most importantly. Have fun!
Sporting tournaments are a fantastic opportunity for some team bonding, from sweepstakes to themed days and even screening the match at work if it’s possible, so keep it fun but make sure everyone knows there’s still work to do.