Will you be a championship manager during the 2026 world cup?

Pep Guardiola has just left Manchester City after ten years of unprecedented success. Thomas Tuchel is being paid to lead England to glory in the USA. Will you be a world class manager this summer as you guide your team through the HR considerations of a football world cup?

With most games kicking off after 8pm (due to the time differences, and counting early hours games as part of the night before), the biggest challenge may come for businesses running night shifts with footy-mad employees. 11pm, 2am and 3am games will be routine.

Even if your business runs during daylight hours this will still present problems. Droopy eyes and hangovers are no less desirable after a football match than your office Christmas party. 

That said, a football world cup is something that captures the imagination of the whole country. So there is much to be said for striking the balance between embracing it and upholding standards. Here are some tips for doing just that.

Yellow cards for unauthorised absence

Not showing up for a night shift! Pulling a sickie the next day after a 3am kick-off! These are unacceptable at any time, including world cups. Remind staff of absence policies before the tournament begins, including those who may be out of sight WFH.

If there is wrongdoing, don’t forget to follow your own procedures. Handing out a straight red card rather than going through the disciplinary process could backfire.

There is annual leave that staff can use to manage their own time effectively, without impacting business operations. If this is not an option for everyone as they have already used it up or you face having to decline requests because too many people are off at once, consider thinking flexibly.

Could they work adjusted hours to ensure they get to enjoy the game whilst doing their job effectively. Perhaps it is possible to have the game on in the background or some other compromise?

Waving the flag(s)

This year’s tournament is touted as the biggest ever, with 48 nations participating, although sadly not Ireland. Football can get tribal, so ensure your workforce is sensitive to all the nations being supported. Remember that race is a protected ground, so what starts as “harmless banter” could easily escalate into a divisive and (for you) expensive discrimination claim.

Play the game

As we said, the event captures the national zeitgeist so there is much to be said for harnessing the positive energy and get an employee well-being dividend for you and them – happiness, good will, loyalty, engagement.

A social event tied to a big game or to mark a victory? Targeting a weekend fixture might help here for many businesses. Then a late night may not even impact work the next day.

From tournament to tournament, sweepstakes are a perennial favourite. They are simple enough for anyone to participate in whether they are football fans or not. Just fingers crossed for France or Spain out of the hat.

If you have connoisseurs of the game in your midst, a private company league through the official fantasy football app might be just the ticket to catch their interest. Especially so if you put up a prize for the winner. It is more involved than a sweepstake, but still relatively easy to pick up for newbies to it, too.

Sub in an expert

The tournament runs from 11th June to 19th July, and much of our advice will require actions from you before it actually starts. 

If you need a tactical team talk or a super sub to have a successful tournament, we are here to help. It is a great time to consider our retained Advice Line, or get help with a disciplinary investigation should one arise.