Thiruvananthapuram: Former Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty has formally requested that the state government declare a public holiday for all schools on Monday, July 20, 2026, to accommodate fans of the FIFA World Cup.

The appeal comes ahead of the tournament final between Argentina and Spain, which is scheduled to kick off at 12:30 AM IST on Monday. In a social media post, Sivankutty explained that because the match is expected to extend into the early hours of Monday morning, many students would struggle to arrive at school on time or attend classes effectively after staying up to watch the game.

"Considering the circumstances, I request the government to declare Monday a holiday for educational institutions," Sivankutty wrote, further suggesting that the lost teaching day could be offset by converting a future holiday, such as a Saturday, into a working day to maintain the academic schedule.

The call for a holiday has gained traction across the state as football fever intensifies. Kerala Education Minister N. Samsudheen confirmed he has been inundated with similar requests from the public. While the government has yet to make a final decision, Samsudheen noted the difficulty of reducing instructional days, as any missed school day would eventually need to be compensated.

Earlier, Pala Municipality Chairperson Diya Binu Pulikkakandam also submitted a formal petition to both the Minister of Public Education and the Minister of Higher Education, arguing that a holiday would help students avoid fatigue and celebrate their passion for the sport.

In anticipation of the high viewership for the Argentina-Spain final, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has announced plans to purchase additional power to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply across the state on July 19 and 20.

With inputs from PTI