Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer signaled a potential extra bank holiday should England's women lift the World Cup, telling reporters he would not "jinx it" but to "ask me again if we get to the final." Thomas Tuchel's side face Norway in the quarter-finals on Saturday night, with the final scheduled for 19 July — the day before Starmer is widely expected to step down and hand power to Andy Burnham. Should England reach the final, the prime minister would likely attend, briefly delaying the transition.

The proposed holiday would fall on Friday 24 July, five days after a theoretical triumph. That scenario requires England to navigate three knockout rounds, starting with a Norway team that has already eliminated a major contender. Tuchel's squad have shown resilience but remain untested against the tournament's elite.

Political timing adds an unusual layer: a World Cup victory would hand the departing leader a celebratory coda while gifting the incoming Burnham administration an immediate nationwide holiday. The cabinet office has reportedly drafted the necessary legislation, contingent entirely on results.