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5th June 2026
Every four years, the World Cup brings with it plenty of chatter and a sense of excitement that goes far beyond the pitch. Even for those of us who don’t typically pay attention to football or even sport in general, it’s undeniably an occasion like little else.
And for so many employees in the UK, it’s a major chance to support their team, get out and socialise with friends, and get immersed in the spectacle of it all. For employers, on the other hand, events like the World Cup can create a whole host of workplace headaches that require careful management.
From increased holiday requests and last-minute absences to worries around productivity, workplace conduct, and staff wellbeing, the World Cup can certainly place additional pressure on managers and employers alike.
Recent research suggests these challenges are far from hypothetical. A global survey of 8,000 employees found that a staggering 37% planned to adjust their work schedules during the 2026 World Cup, while 27% expected to miss work by arriving late, leaving early, or simply not attending at all. The same research estimated that the tournament could cost employers around $17 billion (approx. £12.6 billion) in lost productivity.
For small businesses already juggling priorities, outsourcing HR can prove remarkably valuable. So, let’s explore how the World Cup can affect workplaces and why external HR support can help businesses stay compliant and retain some normality throughout the tournament.
The World Cup often creates unique challenges for businesses to work around. Some of these challenges only truly arise every four years, so it’s difficult to prepare. In fact, recent data shows that 42% of organisations currently have no plans to manage the disruption. And while every business is different, here are some of the common themes we tend to see time after time:
Sporting tournaments often coincide with spikes in both planned and unplanned absence. Employees might submit annual leave requests to watch key fixtures, particularly if their home nation is doing well in the competition. Others might request short-notice time off or report sickness following late-night matches and celebrations.
Research for the 2026 tournament found that more than a quarter of employees anticipated missing work in some form because of the World Cup, while 11% admitted they expected to work while hungover. This creates obvious challenges for employers trying to maintain adequate staffing levels and operational continuity.
Not every World Cup-related challenge involves employees being absent. Some employees will be physically present, but perhaps not mentally. Research found that 14% of employees planned to stream matches or highlights during working hours, while others expected to adjust their schedules around key games.
With the 2026 tournament being hosted across North America, many fixtures fall well outside of traditional UK working hours. However, late-night matches can still impact concentration and punctuality in noticeable ways the following day.
For managers already balancing workloads and deadlines, maintaining productivity while keeping employee morale high can become a difficult balancing act.
As you might expect, major sporting events often generate clusters of holiday requests around the same dates. This can be crippling for SMEs with smaller teams where approving multiple requests simultaneously mightn’t be operationally feasible.
Employers need to carefully balance employee engagement with business needs while making sure that decisions are made fairly and consistently. Failure to do this can create perceptions of favouritism, leading to employee relations issues long after the final whistle has blown.
Passion for sport can be a beautiful thing, but it can also occasionally create workplace tensions. Employees might hold strong views about teams or old sporting rivalries. And what starts as a harmless bit of banter can sometimes cross the line into inappropriate behaviour or even gross misconduct.
Employers should be mindful of risks, including:
These issues can be especially problematic in diverse workplaces where employees support different teams and countries. Clear expectations around workplace behaviour remain just as important during sporting events as they do at any other time.
Many employees now expect greater flexibility in how and when they work. During the World Cup, requests for adjusted hours, remote working, compressed schedules, or temporary flexibility are likely to become more common.
Handled correctly, flexibility can provide a practical solution that benefits both employees and employers. Handled inconsistently, it can create real resentment and operational difficulties.
The World Cup might only last a few short weeks, but the HR challenges it creates can consume a far more substantial amount of management time. This is where outsourcing HR to an experienced team can provide real value. Here’s why:
Understandably, many SMEs don’t have dedicated internal HR departments. Instead, responsibility often falls to business owners, finance managers, office managers, and senior leaders who are already spinning plates as it is.
When issues do arise during the World Cup, or any major cultural event for that matter, having access to experienced HR professionals on demand is a game-changer. That’s why we offer our HR on Demand (HROD) service. Rather than spending hours researching employment law or debating how to address a situation, you’ve got practical guidance that you can tap into as and when you need it.
One of the biggest and, ironically, most consistent risks during busy periods is inconsistency. Managers might respond differently to holiday requests, absence concerns, flexible working requests, or disciplinary issues than they normally would.
This can, in turn, create a perception of unfairness and jeopardise employee relationships unnecessarily. Outsourcing HR to a partner firm means that decisions stay consistently documented and perfectly aligned with company policies.
World Cup-related employee issues often arrive on top of the usual operational demands. Managers might find themselves dealing with:
Having that external HR support takes a considerable weight off the manager’s shoulders. This allows them to focus on running the business while HR specialists provide documentation and practical help behind the scenes.
Effective absence management needs more than simply recording sickness days. Patterns need to be spotted, conversations need to be conducted the right way, and procedures need to be followed consistently across the board.
An outsourced HR provider like Sapphire HR can help employers deal with absence issues professionally while reducing the risk of disputes or allegations of unfair treatment.
As many of us have seen firsthand, the World Cup can create situations where emotions run higher than normal. Whether it’s a workplace disagreement, allegations of inappropriate comments, or concerns about fairness, employee relations can be tested, with things escalating quickly if handled incorrectly.
Outsourcing HR means an objective perspective. That helps businesses address concerns before they develop and grow into formal grievances or even a workplace investigation.
Many employers recognise the benefits of flexibility, but they’re not sure how far they should go. Should employees be allowed to start a few hours later after a late-night fixture? Can working hours be temporarily adjusted? How should requests be prioritised?
An outsourced HR partner can answer these questions and help businesses strike the ideal balance between operational requirements and employee engagement.
Even though sporting tournaments often highlight the value of HR support, the benefits don’t just disappear as soon as the final whistle is blown. Many businesses initially explore outsourcing HR because of a specific challenge, only to discover the wider advantages of ongoing support in the process. These include:
Employment law is always evolving. Businesses that rely on reactive advice can find themselves struggling to keep pace with all the changing requirements. Regular HR support, like what we provide in our HR Unlimited service, ensures policies and procedures remain up to date.
Strong workplace relationships are built through consistently open communication and proactive management. External HR support can help employers address any issues early before they have a chance to become costly disputes.
The vast majority of Employment Tribunal claims arise because procedures weren’t followed correctly. Having access to HR expertise helps employers make informed decisions and maintain the appropriate documentation.
The need for HR support doesn’t stop with absence management or employee relations. Businesses also benefit from guidance on more complicated topics such as:
As an experienced HR partner, we provide support across the full employee lifecycle rather than simply responding to isolated problems as they pop up.
Whether you currently have HR support or not, preparation ahead of the World Cup is key. Consider the following seven suggestions:
Major sporting events often expose existing HR challenges you didn’t know you already had, rather than creating entirely new ones. And the businesses that navigate the World Cup most successfully are usually those with clear policies, confident managers, and consistent processes already in place.
At Sapphire HR, we support SMEs across the North East and beyond with practical, commercially focused HR advice that helps businesses manage both day-to-day people issues and more complex employment matters.
So, whether you need support managing absence levels, handling competing holiday requests, responding to employee relations concerns, implementing flexible working arrangements, or reviewing workplace policies, our team provides straightforward advice tailored to your organisation.
The World Cup might only come around every four years, but the people management challenges it highlights exist throughout the year. Having the right HR support in place can help your business remain resilient, compliant, and productive long after the tournament has ended.
If you’re considering outsourcing HR and would like practical support from an experienced team that understands the realities facing SMEs, contact Sapphire HR today.
Here to Help, Not Replace Experts:
The information contained in this blog presented for general informational purposes only. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date content, legal and HR practices can evolve rapidly. This blog is not a substitute for professional advice.
For specific questions or concerns regarding your unique situation, we highly recommend taking professional advice and booking a consultation with a Sapphire HR Consultant. Our consultants are experts in the field and can provide tailored guidance to address your specific needs.
We aim to work truly in partnership with our client organisations and to develop a high-quality, competent HR Service for all clients, the HR Provider that they can rely on and who gets to understand the culture and vision of your business.
