With the game having kicked off in the early hours of Monday morning, and pubs permitted to stay open until 5am, employers were warned to expect tired workers, late starts and possible last-minute absence.

The challenge is not simply whether employees should be allowed to watch football. It is how organisations balance productivity, fairness and employee wellbeing when major cultural moments collide with working hours.

The “World Cup sickie” may be overstated

Despite familiar headlines around football-related absence, recent data suggests the picture is more nuanced.

Breathe HR analysed attendance data from more than 186,200 UK workers and found no spike in sickness absence after England’s first match. Only 0.72% of workers were off sick the following day, lower than the previous two comparable Thursdays.

Citation’s data tells a similar story. Weeknight England fixtures drove absences as high as 16.4% above normal the following day, but this was largely through planned holiday bookings. Sickness absence was flat or in some cases down by as much as 22%.

This matters because it changes the employer response. If employees are planning ahead, the solution is not a crackdown. It is clear communication, sensible flexibility and consistent processes.

Late-night fixtures create a different risk

England’s overnight fixture created a more difficult challenge. Unlike earlier group-stage matches, there was little time for employees to plan annual leave, and many fans faced the prospect of starting work after only a few hours’ sleep.

Employees do not have an automatic right to take short-notice leave for a football match. Unauthorised absence, dishonestly calling in sick or repeatedly arriving late without agreement could lead to disciplinary action.

However, employers should be careful not to assume every absence is suspicious. Genuine illness still needs to be treated fairly, and any action should follow normal absence procedures. Return-to-work conversations, consistency and evidence-based decision-making remain essential.

Absence is already a wider business issue

The World Cup should also be seen in the context of a broader absence and wellbeing challenge.

Across Europe, absence is becoming a growing concern for employers. In Germany, sick leave has reached an average of 19.5 working days per year, up from around 13 days in 2018, with mental health, musculoskeletal issues and better digital reporting contributing to the rise.

For UK employers, this reinforces the need to treat absence management as a strategic workforce issue, rather than a reactive HR process.

Flexibility can reduce disruption

The TUC has urged employers to show “common sense” by allowing flexibility where possible, including later starts, home working, shift swaps or making up time later in the week.

For employers, this is not about giving football fans special treatment. It is about reducing operational uncertainty.

A planned late start is easier to manage than an unexpected sick call. A shift swap is easier to rota than a no-show. A clear policy is easier to enforce than a rushed decision on Monday morning.

Fairness must remain central

Flexibility should not only benefit office-based employees. Not every role can be done from home, and frontline or shift-based workers may have fewer options.

Employers should consider alternatives such as shift swaps, adjusted start times, time off in lieu, amended breaks or fair overtime arrangements.

The key is consistency. If flexibility is offered, it should be applied transparently and in line with business needs. If requests are refused, managers should be able to explain why.

What employers should do now

Employers can prepare for future fixtures by setting expectations early. This should include reminding staff how to request annual leave, whether flexible working will be considered, how sickness absence should be reported and what standards of conduct apply during and after matches.

Managers should also be encouraged to have open conversations with their teams. Employees are more likely to be honest when they feel trusted, and employers are more likely to maintain productivity when they can plan ahead.

Preparation is the best defence

The World Cup may only last a few weeks, but the workplace lesson is longer term.

Major events will continue to test absence policies, workforce planning and employee trust. Organisations that rely only on suspicion risk damaging morale. Those that prepare early, communicate clearly and apply policies fairly are more likely to protect both productivity and engagement.

The best defence against World Cup disruption is not a crackdown. It is preparation.

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