The Kerala State Government has declared July 20 a holiday for educational institutions, including professional colleges, on account of the FIFA World Cup 2026 that is set to take place in the early hours of Monday.
Chief Minister VD Satheesan’s office also announced that examinations which have already been scheduled in advance will be conducted as planned.
The decision to make July 20 a holiday came after the request of football-loving students who said that they wanted to stay up late to watch the much-anticipated final match between Argentina and Spain.
The match is set to begin around 12:30 am IST, during the early hours of Monday.
All schools functioning under the General Education Department will observe the holiday.
General Education Minister N. Samsudheen announced the decision on social media with a message aimed at students: "Happy now, children?"
Earlier CPI(M) leader and former Education minister V Sivankutty urged the state government to declare a holiday, saying that the late night match between the countries make its difficult to attend school on Monday morning.
The minister proposed that the lost academic day can be made up by converting a Saturday holiday into a working day. UDF leader also backed the calls for a school holiday.
Meanwhile, some critics argued for a full government holiday. Sports minister OJ Janish said that the a full holiday would have been good; however, the government faces practical difficulties in declaring one suddenly.
The match between Spain and defending champions Argentina is set to take place in New York at the New Jersey Stadium.
The 2026 World Cup will also be the first to feature a halftime show mid-game curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin. The performance is set to last around 11 minutes. The line-up includes musical artists Shakira, Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, Burna Boy and Gustavo Dudamel.
