England fans are pleading to be given an extra Bank Holiday on Monday to recover from their next late-night World Cup match.
The Three Lions clinched a last-minute winner against DR Congo last night to set up a round of 16 clash with Mexico on Monday.
The game will be kick-off at a grueling 1am, meaning Brits could be up as late as 4am if the tie goes to extra time and penalties.
Fans are now calling for the government to grant an extra bank holiday on Monday to allow people to stay up and cheer on the squad without losing out on sleep.
England boss Thomas Tuchel has already told parents they should let their kids stay up and ‘write an excuse for school’ the next day.
Garford Beck, founder of EnglandFans FC, told Metro that a bank holiday would allow all supporters to enjoy the game.
The superfan, who is on a 47 hour road trip to Mexico City to support the side, said: ‘I want as many people as possible to be able to get behind Thomas and the boys and watch the game back home.
‘Given the importance of the game and the chaotic scenes that’s bound to unfold, I support calls for Monday to be granted Bank Holiday status.
‘I back calls for children to be allowed to stay up too as there is no way they are going to be fit for work.
‘The grown-ups, of course, will most likely drink copious amounts of alcohol whilst watching the game, so they’re not likely to be much good for work either.’
The demands of English fans back home for a bank holiday hinge on the decision to give Scotland a day off on June 15th to mark their World Cup opener against Haiti.
One Three Lions’ faithful posted: ‘Scotland got a Bank Holiday on a Monday when their game was technically Saturday night. Surely we should get Monday off.’
A second commented: ‘Ok Scottish government gave a Bank Holiday for a late game. England now has one, over to you Mr PM!!!’
Should England be given bank holiday for Monday’s World Cup?
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Yes
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No
For a special one-off bank holiday to be granted, it will need the approval of the government and a proclamation from the King.
That doesn’t look likely at the moment. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has said that while they are ‘backing the England team all the way’, ‘the current pattern of bank and public holidays is well established.’
While scores of die-hard fans will still stay up overnight, only one in five employers are planning to offer them flexible working hours, according to a survey of 1,100 managers by the Chartered Management Institute.
Instead, many England faithful might try to bend the rules to get some extra shut-eye.
New research from AO.com found that more than a quarter of people are considering ‘throwing a sickie’ or calling in late if England won a match in the early hours of the morning.
Nigel Huddleston, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport told Metro he appeals for ‘all bosses, where possible, to be flexible about working hours on Monday.’
Schools and parents also face a dilemma following Tuchel’s call for children to be allowed to watch the Mexico match.
One leading teachers’ union told Metro that schools should be given flexibility for Monday’s classes.
Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: ‘School leaders are best-placed to make decisions over allowances to recognise the timing of the England versus Mexico match and the likelihood that young people who are enthusiastic England supporters will want to stay up to watch the game.
‘What we would hope is that the Department for Education recognises the need to allow schools flexibility over how they respond to this unique situation and does not score an own goal by rigidly insisting that it must be business as normal.’
Calls for pubs to stay open overnight
Pubs have already seen their licensing laws relaxed by the Home Office for the World Cup.
Venues can stay open until 1am for games between 5pm and 9pm, and until 2am for kick-offs between 9pm and 10pm.
However there are no provisions for games starting at 1am, which means pubs will need to apply to their local council for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) licence.
Community Secretary Steve Reed has urged councils to grant TEN licences, but the restrictions mean the vast majority of pubs will be forced to shut.
In response, the Liberal Democrats has called on the Government to urgently grant an emergency blanket licensing extension for pubs and bars across the country.
The party is calling for an immediate government directive allowing hospitality venues to remain open until the end of the match.
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Home Affairs, Max Wilkinson MP, said: ‘Pubs face missing out on a much needed opportunity to get more money into the till and England fans will be missing out on the opportunity to watch their team together in their local with a beer for the biggest game of the tournament so far.’
Sadiq Khan is trying hard to help Londoners stay out late.
His spokesperson said he ‘is urging local authorities in the capital to work closely with the hospitality industry to allow pubs to stay open into the early hours of Monday morning – so that Londoners can back our pubs and cheer on in England as they take on Mexico.’
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