World Cup 2026: Is Your Business Ready for the Workplace Impact?
The FIFA World Cup is in underway, and for many football fans, the tournament has already become the focus of conversations, celebrations………and late nights.
For employers, though, major sporting tournaments can bring a slightly different kind of excitement.
Alongside the team spirit, workplace sweepstakes and Monday morning match analysis, there can also be a few practical headaches. Think last-minute holiday requests, employees turning up late after a late-night match, unexplained absences, or a few people trying their luck with a very conveniently timed “sick day”.
Of course, the answer isn’t to dampen the excitement. The World Cup can be a great opportunity to boost morale, bring teams together and create a positive atmosphere at work. But a little planning can make a big difference.
Some employees may want time off to watch key matches. Others might stay up late and struggle to get in on time the next morning. And if England, Scotland, or another supported team gets through to the later stages, annual leave requests can quickly increase.
The key is to be prepared rather than reactive.
Having clear expectations in place before the tournament begins helps everyone understand where they stand. It also makes it much easier for managers to deal with any issues fairly and consistently.
Managing lateness and unexpected absence
It’s not unusual for lateness to become more common during major tournaments, especially where matches kick off late at night or in the early hours.
If someone arrives late after watching a match, it may be tempting to treat it as “just one of those things”. But if lateness starts to affect operations, customer service or other colleagues, it needs to be managed properly.
A sensible first step is to remind employees of your usual attendance expectations. Make sure they know how to report an absence, who they need to contact, and by what time.
It’s also worth reminding staff that unauthorised absence may be dealt with under the company’s normal disciplinary procedures.
That doesn’t mean employers have to take a heavy-handed approach. Where possible, some businesses may choose to offer temporary flexibility, such as adjusted start times, shift swaps or agreed annual leave. The important thing is that any flexibility is applied fairly and doesn’t cause avoidable disruption.
What about suspected “sickies”?
We all know the scenario. A big match finishes late. The result is dramatic. The celebrations begin at 2am…….and the next morning, an employee calls in sick.
It might raise suspicions, but employers should be careful not to jump to conclusions.
Employees can, of course, be genuinely unwell at any time, even if their sickness absence happens to fall the day after a major football match.
The best approach is to follow your usual sickness absence process. Record the absence properly, hold a return-to-work meeting if that forms part of your normal procedure, and look at the facts before deciding whether any further action is needed.
If there is a pattern of absence, or evidence that the sickness may not be genuine, you may decide to investigate. But assumptions alone are unlikely to be enough.
Alcohol, celebrations and workplace conduct
For some employees, World Cup celebrations may involve alcohol. That’s fine outside work, but it becomes a problem if it affects behaviour, attendance, performance or safety in the workplace.
Employers may want to remind staff of their expectations around alcohol and conduct. This is particularly important in safety-critical roles, customer-facing positions, or workplaces where employees operate machinery or drive as part of their job.
If an employee attends work under the influence of alcohol, behaves inappropriately, or puts themselves or others at risk, the issue should be dealt with under the relevant workplace policy.
Again, consistency matters. Employees should know that while enthusiasm for the tournament is welcome, professional standards still apply.
Handling annual leave requests fairly
As the tournament progresses, annual leave requests can become more difficult to manage.
You may have several employees wanting the same day off, especially if there is a key match or if a home nation makes it through to the knockout stages.
Employers should encourage staff to submit holiday requests as early as possible. It’s also helpful to remind employees that annual leave must be approved in advance and should not be assumed.
Where multiple people request the same dates, managers should apply a fair and consistent approach. This might mean using a first-come, first-served system, considering operational needs, or rotating opportunities where appropriate.
Whatever approach you take, make sure it is clear and applied consistently.
Planning for staffing disruption
Even with the best planning, major events can still cause disruption.
That’s why it’s worth thinking ahead about staffing levels, cover arrangements and contingency plans. Are there particular dates where absence is more likely? Are there key roles that must be covered? Could shifts be swapped in advance? Are managers clear on how to respond if someone fails to attend work?
Having answers to these questions before the tournament begins can help avoid rushed decisions later.
It may also be worth having a short conversation with teams about how the business plans to approach the tournament. This gives employees the chance to raise requests early and helps avoid misunderstandings.
Keeping morale high without losing control
The World Cup can be a brilliant opportunity to create a positive buzz at work.
Some employers may choose to show matches in the workplace, allow football shirts on certain days, organise sweepstakes, or offer flexible arrangements where business needs allow.
These small gestures can go a long way in boosting morale but the key is balance.
Employers can absolutely support employees in enjoying the tournament, while still making it clear that attendance, conduct and performance expectations remain in place.
Final thoughts
The businesses that handle major sporting events best are not necessarily the strictest. They are usually the ones that communicate early, plan ahead and apply their policies fairly.
Maybe take some time to review your approach to annual leave, sickness absence, lateness, alcohol and workplace conduct.
A clear game plan now can help prevent difficult conversations later.
If you need support managing absence, annual leave requests, disciplinary concerns or workplace policies during the World Cup, Paveley HR is here to help.