Schools in Somerset are being encouraged to adopt flexible start times on Monday morning, allowing pupils to stay up late to watch England’s crucial World Cup match.
Mike Bell, leader of North Somerset Council’s Liberal Democrat partnership administration, urged schools to consider beginning the school day at lunchtime or to avoid penalizing students for arriving late. England’s round of 16 match against Mexico kicks off at 6pm local time on Sunday in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium—equivalent to 1am Monday morning in the UK.
In a Facebook post, Mr Bell acknowledged the late kickoff, saying, “That is, admittedly, a bit of a late kick-off for younger fans but this is the World Cup, England are still in it, and moments like this are made to be shared.”
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He appealed to parents and carers across North Somerset to “suspend bedtime—just this once—for children and young people who want to stay up and cheer on the Three Lions.” He also called on local schools to demonstrate flexibility on Monday morning, whether that means starting later, a lunchtime kick-off to the school day, or simply not penalizing late arrivals. “Let’s give young fans the chance to sleep off the nerves, the noise, and hopefully the celebrations,” he said.
“This is about letting children be part of a special national moment. They should not have to miss out on England’s progress because of a fixture list and an overseas tournament with challenging time zones,” Mr Bell added.
The match is expected to end around 3am UK time and may extend later if it goes to extra time. Ultimately, the decision on school start times remains with individual schools.
Not everyone welcomed Mr Bell’s suggestion. Responding to his post, local schoolteacher Sophie Newton described the idea as “deeply disappointing.” She commented, “Watching England is exciting and whether children stay up is absolutely a decision for parents. However, schools should not be expected to adapt around sporting fixtures. If we make exceptions for an England World Cup match, where do we draw the line? Schools cannot operate with different rules depending on which event people consider important.”
England manager Thomas Tuchel also encouraged parents to let their children watch the match, saying, “Write an excuse for school and let them watch. There’s so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years.”
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson reminded families, “It’s a late game but children can be in school the next day.”
Monday’s 1am kickoff marks one of England’s toughest challenges yet in the tournament. Facing Mexico, a team that has yet to concede a goal and will be buoyed by around 70,000 home fans in Mexico City’s high altitude, England must overcome both the opposition and the challenging time zone.