New Delhi, July 20: Students in Kerala, Meghalaya and Manipur received a special break from classes as the state governments declared a holiday for educational institutions on July 20 following the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
The decision came as football fans prepared to watch the highly anticipated final between Spain and Argentina. The match began at 12:30 am IST and continued into the early hours of Monday.
With the fixture scheduled overnight in India, the holiday allowed school and college students to watch the match without having to report for classes early the following morning.
Kerala announced the statewide holiday, while Meghalaya and Manipur also followed with closures covering educational institutions in their respective states.
The unusual holiday decision reflected the widespread enthusiasm surrounding the global football tournament and the strong popularity of the sport among students and young people.
The move also highlighted how major international sporting events can influence local schedules when public interest reaches a significant level.
For students, the announcement provided an opportunity to enjoy the World Cup final while avoiding the pressure of attending classes after staying awake through the match.
Educational institutions were expected to resume their regular schedules after the holiday, subject to directions issued by the respective state authorities.
