The 2026 World Cup kicked off on 11 June and runs all the way to the final on 19 July, that’s a whopping five and a half weeks, 48 teams and 104 matches spread across the USA, Canada and Mexico.
With England’s group fixtures against Croatia, Ghana and Panama scheduled at UK evening kick-off times, and many games played across multiple US and Canadian time zones, there are definitely many willing to burn the midnight oil to get their football fix in.
For employers, it’s not just one big match that might need to be given consideration due to the possible impact, but weeks of staggered disruption that can be adequately managed if there is a plan made to mitigate it now.
Annual leave
The most common request anticipated by employers is time off to watch a match, and the best defence against business’ having to make awkward and inconsistent decisions is a clear policy being applied to each request.
Employers should make sure staff know procedures for booking leave, including notice required and consideration of whether there is benefit in sending communication regarding key dates, including England’s fixtures, knockout rounds, and the final on 19 July, so there isn’t an influx of people submitting requests for the same day at the last minute. A word of warning to employers’ is to be aware of your diverse workforce and requests submitted by those of different nationalities to support their national teams and ensuring a consistent application of policies to approving annual leave.
Watching or listening to matches at work
Unsurprisingly certain industry sectors and workplaces such as hospitality; warehousing and retail, allow matches to play on screens or radio in the background, which they have concluded causes far less disruption than staff sneaking off to check their phones every few minutes. If your business can accommodate this without compromising safety or service, it is an option worth considering for the duration of the tournament rather than leaving workforce panning to be negotiated match by match. Of course this is not practical or possible for many sectors or workplaces.
Adjusting working hours
Where the nature of the business and specifically the job allows it, a temporary, time-limited shift in start or finish times can let people catch a match without taking annual leave or being left with no option but to call in sick (which of course when there is no legitimate sickness can lead to disciplinary action being taken). In practice, this works best as a clear, written arrangement. Examples are earlier finish on specific match days in exchange for an earlier start, rather than an informal understanding that changes over the course of the tournament and might vary from person to person depending on the team that they support and matches they want to watch that risks being interpreted differently by different people.
Word of warning
A modern UK workforce will have employees following Brazil, Argentina, Nigeria, Mexico and any number of other teams and some of those matches will inevitably fall at very different times to England’s fixtures. Whatever policy you put in place for leave, flexible hours or watching matches at work should be available on the same terms regardless of which team someone supports. A policy that quietly only works for England fans is a policy that’s likely to generate complaints and give grounds for a complaint of discrimination.
Discrimination and harassment
Banter is part of most workplaces during a major tournament, but it has limits. Comments that target someone because of their nationality, or that cross from friendly rivalry into ongoing intimidation, can amount to harassment under the Equality Act 2010 regardless of whether football was the trigger.
It’s also worth knowing that tribunals have specifically considered whether strong feelings about football could count as a protected philosophical belief and found that they don’t meet the legal threshold. That doesn’t mean football-related conduct is risk-free; it means the protection runs the other way, through ordinary harassment and race discrimination law, not through football fandom itself being protected.
Workplace events and socials
If you’re organising or sponsoring a screening, watch party or other social event tied to the tournament, you retain the normal duty of care you would for any other work social, safe transport options, sensible arrangements around alcohol, and a clear sense of where “work event” ends and “personal time” begins. Employees should also feel comfortable opting out without it affecting how they’re seen at work.
Managing distractions for remote and hybrid staff
Staff working from home have more scope to half-watch a match while working than those in an office, and that’s worth addressing directly rather than assuming it sorts itself out. A short, clear note about expectations, whether that’s “no problem, just make sure your work gets done” or “please take it as annual leave or unpaid time if you’re not actively working,” voids the ambiguity that tends to cause resentment later.
Conduct outside working hours
Late nights, alcohol and high emotion are a risky combination during a major tournament, and employers are entitled to expect that conduct outside work doesn’t spill over into the workplace or damage the business’s reputation, particularly where colleagues, clients or the public are involved.
Genuinely serious misconduct outside work can, in the right circumstances, still be treated as a potentially fair reason for disciplinary action or dismissal, so it’s worth reminding staff that the usual standards of conduct don’t go on holiday just because the football has.
The practical takeaway
Almost every World Cup employment issue comes down to planning and consistency rather than the football itself. Decide your approach to leave, flexible hours and watching matches at work before the tournament’s busiest period hits, communicate it clearly to managers and staff at the same time, and apply it the same way to everyone regardless of which team they’re shouting for.
For tailored advice on managing your workforce through the World Cup, or on any other employment matter, get in touch with the team at Osborne & Wise.