15.07.2026

England games cause 21% rise in annual leave during World Cup (so far)

England's success at the World Cup has yet to cause the ‘avalanche’ of employees calling in sick following late and weeknight games that has been widely expected, according to data from Citation, a leading HR and employment law provider. Instead, employees are seemingly thinking ahead and booking time off to watch fixtures (or nurse sore heads the morning after).

The overall rise in annual leave comes in contrast to a broader fall in leave this year. Total workplace leave in 2026 is running 5.3% lower than 2025 over the same 7-week window, while sickness is down 14% year-on-year. The World Cup effect stands out despite the general year being quieter for workplace absence:

Date	Fixture context	vs typical day
Wed 17 Jun	England v Croatia match day	+7.8%
Thu 18 Jun	Day after Croatia	+13.7%
Tue 23 Jun	England v Ghana match day	+8.0%
Wed 24 Jun	Day after Ghana	+16.4%

All figures reflect the deviation (%) of total daily absences vs. the typical absence level for that day of the week (based on approx. 5–7 comparable weeks in the same May–July window).

As well as highlighting that fans are thinking ahead rather than ‘pulling sickies’ as has been broadly raised as a risk for employers, the data highlights flexibility and understanding from many UK firms who are relaxing holiday protocols to allow employees to enjoy the World Cup without having to call in sick and leave the business in a difficult situation.

Gill McAteer, Director of Employment Law at Citation, said: “There are signs in this data that employers and employees are working together to find a way for everyone to enjoy the World Cup without causing disruption to businesses or conflict among teams.

“There is no requirement for employers to depart from their established policies for leave during an event like this... whether it’s coming home or not. However, our advice to HR teams and businesses is that a little understanding and flexibility goes a long way.”

For more information and data, visit: https://www.citation.co.uk/news/hr-and-employment-law/world-cup-2026-absences-england-vs-mexico/

Posted by: FMJ 0 comment(s)