England v Italy: Workers and schoolchildren offered late start on Monday after Euro 2020 final
ITV News Correspondent Rupert Evelyn on the fever pitch building in England as the team gear up for the final
Headteachers and bosses across the country are entering into the spirit of England's Euro 2020 success, offering a delayed start to the week after the big final.
Some lucky staff and pupils, respectively, will be able to enjoy a lie-in on Monday after the Three Lions take on Italy on Sunday night.
Victory at Wembley would mark the men’s football team’s first major tournament win since the 1966 World Cup.
England v Italy: What you need to know about the Euro 2020 final
When is the final happening?
When is the final happening?
The Euro 2020 final kicks off at 8pm on Sunday 11 July at Wembley Stadium.
Can I get a ticket?
Can I get a ticket?
While the capacity for the final, along with both semi-finals which have all been at Wembley, has been increased to more than 60,000, it seems there is little hope of securing a ticket if you do not already have one. As it stands, there are no tickets on sale on the Uefa website for the final. Most ticket sales took place in 2019, long before the matches in each stage of the knockout stage of the competition were known. If the situation changes, however, and more tickets do become available, fans would likely need to stump up hundreds – if not thousands – of pounds to secure a seat.
Where can I watch the game on TV or online?
Where can I watch the game on TV or online?
The game will be broadcast on ITV, with its coverage starting from 6.30pm on Sunday. It will also be available to stream online on the ITV Hub (for viewers in the UK only).
What if I'm watching it at a pub?
What if I'm watching it at a pub?
Pubs in England will be allowed to stay open later on Sunday, in case the final goes to penalties, Downing Street has said.
The government has granted pubs special permission to open until 11.15pm - 15 minutes after normal closing time on Sunday.
Momentum for a national day off in the event of glory continues to grow – though police have warned fans not to get carried away by the occasion.
The mechanics for a bank holiday this Monday seem unworkable, given the short turnaround between the final ending late on Sunday night and when the day off would come into effect, potentially an hour later.
Instead, businesses may consider flexible working hours in order to allow staff to sleep off any celebratory or consolatory side effects.
'Good times never seemed so good': Schoolchildren in Leeds will be cheering England on Sunday night, no matter how late the game goes on!
Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the TUC (Trades Union Congress), called on bosses to allow flexibility.
"Bosses should talk to their staff about flexible working arrangements ahead of Monday morning – perhaps allowing them to start later and claim back their time afterwards.
"And bosses should show flexibility too towards the 2.2 million workers who work on a Sunday – many of them key workers.
"Many of them will want to watch the match, and they should be able to, either at work or by finishing early and making up the time."
A number of schools have already said they will allow pupils to start later on Monday if they want to.
Headteacher Chris Dyson from Parklands Primary School in Leeds is letting pupils come in late on Monday so they can stay up and watch the match.
"Attendance is everything," Mr Dyson said.
"We want the children to see this, to experience this bit of history, so I'd much rather start a bit later in the day to get everybody into school so we can celebrate Monday - as opposed to people oversleeping and not coming in at all."
'We want the children to see this, so I'd much rather start a bit later'
Gemma Donnelly, head of Braywick Court School in Bray, Berkshire, has also told parents that children will not be marked as late if they are in by 10.30am.
In a letter to families Mrs Donnelly said: "This gives you the option to stay up late and watch the match, or watch it in the morning before coming to school if you would like to."
England v Italy kicks off at 8pm on Sunday and will be live on ITV - it will also be available to stream live on the ITV Hub.
'It's coming home!'
If things go to extra time or a penalty shootout, the game would conclude as late as 11pm.
Any trophy presentation for the Three Lions would likely delay bedtimes even further.
Wednesday’s semi-final victory over Denmark, which went to extra time but not penalties, finished at around 10.45pm.
Downing Street said employers who are able to should be flexible about allowing staff to go into work late on Monday or take the day off if England win.
The number of signatures calling for a bank holiday to celebrate an England win passed the 300,000 mark on Friday morning - although it was reported that ministers are considering scheduling the day off for August when Covid rules are relaxed.
Downing Street remained coy on the prospects of a bank holiday – either on Monday or a later date – if England do triumph.
A No 10 spokesman said: "We don’t want to pre-empt the result and tempt fate. We would obviously set out any plans, if necessary, in due course. Let’s see what happens on Sunday."
The order for any bank holiday would have to come from the Queen.
The Home Office confirmed on Friday that pubs can continue to serve until 11.15pm on Sunday to reduce the risk of customers being told to leave before the match ends.
It comes as a survey of 1,794 adults in the UK by Opinium suggested England manager Gareth Southgate is more popular than war-time prime minister Sir Winston Churchill.
The poll, conducted in the wake of England’s semi-final win, found 72% of those asked had a “favourable” view of Southgate, compared with 65% for Churchill.
Both lagged behind broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough (83%) and the Queen (75%).
England v Italy kicks off at 8pm on Sunday, July 11. Coverage starts on ITV from 6.30pm - it will also be available to stream live on the ITV Hub.