World Cup 2026: How employers can manage absence and disruption

The 2026 World Cup could cost employers around $17 billion in lost productivity worldwide, according to research published by workforce software firm UKG. The same study found that 37% of employees plan to adjust their work schedule around the tournament, and more than a quarter expect to miss work by arriving late, leaving early, or skipping a day entirely. [1]

For UK employers, the timing makes this particularly relevant. The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which means most matches fall in the UK evening or later. England open against Croatia on Wednesday 17 June at 9pm BST, play Ghana on Tuesday 23 June at 9pm, and finish the group stage against Panama on Saturday 27 June at 10pm [2]. If either England or Scotland progress, the knockout fixtures run later still, with some kick-offs scheduled for 1am, 2am, or beyond in UK time.

Late nights, and the temptation of a drink while watching, create a predictable pattern: lateness, tiredness, reduced productivity, and short-notice absence the morning after a big game [3]. This article sets out the main risks and the practical steps employers can take to manage them while keeping morale high.

Summary

• Most matches kick off late in UK time, so the main risk is next-day disruption: lateness, tiredness, and short-notice absence, rather than time off during the working day.
• The disruption grows if the teams your staff follow progress, as knockout fixtures run into the early hours of UK mornings.
• Plan staffing now. Review cover for popular fixtures, knockout games, and the days immediately after, particularly for client-facing and business-critical work.
• Decide your annual leave approach early and communicate it, applying any limits on numbers off at once consistently and fairly.
• Remind staff of your sickness absence and reporting policies before the tournament. Note that Statutory Sick Pay is now payable from day one of absence, which raises the cost of unplanned sickness.
• Flexibility, used consistently, often works better than rigid enforcement. Adjusted start times or remote working after late games can reduce both absence and resentment.
• Screening the highlights of matches or running sweepstakes can boost morale, provided participation is genuinely optional and non-followers are not excluded.
• Apply conduct, dignity at work, and equal opportunities policies as normal. Football is not an excuse for harassment, discrimination, or exclusion.

Why this tournament is different

Major sporting events usually raise the same questions for employers: how to handle holiday requests, manage productivity, and deal with absence. The 2026 World Cup carries an unusual twist because of where it is being held.

Because the tournament is hosted in North America, most fixtures take place outside normal UK working hours. On one hand, this reduces the pressure for time off during the working day, since fewer matches clash with it. On the other hand, late-evening and overnight kick-offs create a different problem: employees staying up to watch, then struggling the next morning. With both England and Scotland qualified, interest across UK workforces is likely to be high. The home nations won't be the only draw, either. This is the first 48-team World Cup, and many workplaces will include staff following Sweden, Czechia, Brazil, or other qualified sides, whose key fixtures may fall at different times again [5].

Hybrid and remote working adds another dimension. It can make it easier for someone to stay up through the night and attempt to work the following day, with predictable effects on focus and output. It also gives employers less direct visibility of how working hours are actually spent. None of this is a reason to clamp down, but it is a reason to set clear expectations in advance.

Planning staffing and cover

The single most useful step is to look ahead at the fixture calendar and map it against your own busy periods and business-critical work. Identify the dates most likely to affect attendance: the group games your staff are most likely to follow, any knockout fixtures, and the working days immediately afterwards.

Review whether you have enough cover for client-facing work, phone lines, deadlines, shifts, site work, and any service that cannot simply pause. Where gaps appear, address them early through planned leave, temporary cover, or adjusted deadlines, rather than discovering the problem on the morning itself. Shift workers and rota-based teams need particular attention, as their hours may overlap directly with popular fixtures even when office-based staff are unaffected.

Annual leave requests

Expect a rise in annual leave requests around key matches and the days after them. Decide your approach before the requests arrive, and make it clear to staff.

A first-come, first-served system is common and easy to explain, but apply it consistently. If you need to limit the number of people off at any one time to maintain cover, set that limit in advance and apply it to everyone on the same basis. Inconsistent decisions, where one team is granted leave freely and another refused, are a frequent source of resentment and, at worst, grievances.

It is also worth reminding employees that leave needs to be requested and approved in the normal way, and that approval depends on business needs. Communicating this early, ideally before the tournament begins, manages expectations and reduces friction when popular dates fill up.

Sickness absence and "sickies"

The most commonly raised concern is the "sickie": an employee calling in sick the morning after a late game, whether through genuine tiredness, a hangover, or simply to watch the highlights. This is where a clear, well-communicated sickness absence policy earns its place.

Remind staff before the tournament of your sickness reporting procedures, the standards expected, and the consequences of unauthorised absence. Monitoring absence levels during the tournament, and noting any patterns that suggest a fixture-related spike, allows you to address issues fairly and on evidence rather than assumption.

A word of caution on judging which absences are "genuine". A hangover may be self-inflicted, but employers should avoid making assumptions about which illnesses count and which do not, as this can create inconsistency and unfairness. The better approach is to apply your policy evenly, distinguish carefully between someone who is genuinely unfit for work and someone whose absence appears not to be, and take proportionate action where there is a real concern. With unfair dismissal protections changing, fair and documented process is worth getting right.

One change makes this more pressing in 2026. Recent Statutory Sick Pay reforms mean that even a short absence can now trigger SSP from day one, so short-notice sickness after a late game costs employers more than it used to [4]. That raises the value of clear policies, accurate records, and consistent handling.

Flexibility as an alternative to enforcement

Rigid enforcement is not the only option, and it is often not the most effective one. Where the nature of the work allows, a degree of planned flexibility can reduce both absence and ill-feeling.

Options worth considering include adjusted start times the morning after a late fixture, allowing affected staff to begin later and finish later, or to work from home where the role permits. Scheduling fewer early-morning meetings on the days after major games is a small change that takes pressure off. Some employers allow staff to use flexible or flexible working arrangements during the tournament, provided output and cover are maintained.

The key, as with leave, is consistency. Flexibility offered to one group and withheld from another, without a clear operational reason, undermines trust. It also helps to be clear that flexibility is a two-way arrangement: it depends on staff maintaining their standards and not abusing the goodwill, which protects colleagues who have no interest in the football from carrying an unfair share of the load.

Turning the tournament into a positive

Handled well, the World Cup can lift morale rather than drain productivity. Many employers choose to embrace it.

Screening selected matches or highlights in the workplace, or allowing staff to watch during breaks, can build a sense of occasion, particularly for fixtures that fall within or close to working hours. Sweepstakes, predictions leagues, themed lunches, or charity initiatives tied to the tournament can engage people across the organisation. Where employees watch a match during working time, you can reasonably ask them to make up the time, provided this is agreed in advance.

The important caveat is inclusion. Not everyone follows football, and any activity should be genuinely optional. Plan so that those who opt out are not left to cover a disproportionate share of the work, and that the workplace does not tip into pressure to take part. Done thoughtfully, these initiatives bring people together; done carelessly, they can alienate part of the workforce.

Conduct, inclusion, and discrimination risks

Heightened emotion around international football can spill into behaviour that crosses a line. Before the tournament begins, remind staff that your usual standards still apply, including policies on dignity at work, bullying and harassment, equal opportunities, social media, and conduct.

The risks are real. Banter about national teams can shade into comments about nationality or ethnicity, which may amount to harassment or discrimination. Rivalry between supporters of different teams should not become a route to exclusion or intimidation. These are not reasons to suppress everyone's enthusiasm, but they are reasons to be clear that football provides no licence for offensive remarks or behaviour that makes colleagues uncomfortable.

This matters more than usual in 2026, as employer duties around harassment are tightening. Handling World Cup conduct well now also puts a workplace in a stronger position for those changes. For a fuller picture, see our guidance on building an inclusive workplace.

Preparing now

A short checklist for the coming weeks:

• map the key fixtures against your busy periods, based on your knowledge of what national football teams your employees support, and identify where cover is at risk
• decide and communicate your annual leave approach, including any limits on numbers off at once
• remind staff of sickness reporting procedures and conduct standards before the first game
• review your sickness absence policy in light of the day-one SSP change, and make sure records and handling are consistent
• decide whether you will offer flexibility, screen matches, or run activities, and set the ground rules clearly
• brief managers so that leave, flexibility, and absence are handled the same way across teams.

A clear, fair, and well-communicated approach lets employees enjoy the tournament while the business keeps running. Setting expectations now, rather than improvising on the morning after England's opening game, is the difference between a month of goodwill and a month of friction.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information is accurate at the time of writing but may be subject to change. For advice specific to your situation, please consult a qualified professional.

[1] UKG, World Cup Could Cost Employers $17 Billion in Lost Productivity, June 2026.

[2] FIFA / England Football, England FIFA World Cup 2026 match schedule, May 2026.

[3] Personnel Today, Employers urged to prepare for 'sickies' during World Cup, 2026.

[4] VWV, New statutory sick pay rules effective from 6 April 2026, April 2026.

[5] Brightmine, World Cup 2026: Employers' guide to workplace implications, April 2026.