Kerala Government declares July 20 an educational holiday on account of the Argentina-Spain FIFA World Cup final

Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan has declared Monday (July 20, 2026) a holiday for educational institutions, including professional colleges, on account of the FIFA World Cup finals. File | Photo Credit: Thulasi Kakkat Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan has declared Monday (July 20, 2026) a holiday for educational institutions, including professional colleges, on account of the FIFA World Cup finals.FIFA World Cup 2026 | Kerala’s football frenzy, in picturesThe Chief Minister’s Office informed that there will be no change in the pre-decided examination schedule on Monday (July 20, 2026). A CMO official said the broadcast timings of the Argentina-Spain final in India, which kicks off at 12.30 a.m. Indian Standard Time (IST) would keep football fans, a significant section of them students and parents, awake till the early hours, disrupting the day’s schedule.Moreover, he said the CMO was beset by demands from students, parents and educational institutions for a holiday on Monday (July 20, 2026). He said Mr. Satheesan has directed the General Education Department to notify the holiday officially and issue proceedings. General Education Minister N. Shamshudeen’s office had also been flooded with similar demands, putting the government on the path to take a decision, given the overwhelming public sentiment.Moreover, politicians, including former General Education Minister and Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader, V. Sivankutty, and chairperson of the Pala Municipality, Diya Binu Pulikandam, had requested the government to declare Monday a holiday to allow students and parents to recuperate after what seems poised to be a nail-biter final followed by tumultuous celebrations on the street till dawn.Football fans and associations across Kerala greeted the government’s decision with much fanfare. Fans, residents’ associations and sports clubs have set up huge wall-sized LED screens in public squares and parks to broadcast the spirit of the match to the audience. The police have also ordered full-scale deployment, given the expected large turnout of fans, including families. Several residents’ associations have arranged fireworks to cap the final. Published - July 19, 2026 01:01 pm IST