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Argentina vs Spain World Cup final: Kerala announces holiday for schools, colleges
The decision came after football-loving students requested a holiday so they could stay up to watch Sunday's title clash
- PUBLISHED: Sun 19 Jul 2026, 1:22 PM
India's southern state of Kerala has declared July 20 a holiday for schools and colleges, allowing students to stay up and watch the Fifa World Cup 2026 final between Argentina and Spain, which kicks off after midnight India time.
Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan wrote on social media: "As Keralam catches the ultimate football fever ahead of the grand Argentina-Spain finale. To ensure our young fans can enjoy the midnight thriller without worrying about school, college the next morning, the Government has declared a holiday for all educational institutions tomorrow. Stay up, cheer out loud, and enjoy the game."
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However, previously scheduled examinations on Monday, July 20, 2026, will proceed as planned, according to the Chief Minister's offic (CMO)e. The Hindu reports that the CMO office received numerous requests from students, parents, and educational institutions for a holiday on that date. General Education Minister N. Shamshudeen’s office also received similar requests, prompting the government to act in response to strong public sentiment.
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Congress Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor highlighted the excitement around the Spain-Argentina Fifa World Cup final, pointing out Kerala's overwhelming support for La Albiceleste. He said the high-quality contest between two elite football nations could motivate young Indian players to dream bigger and strive towards reaching the global stage.
"I'm not a football expert... All I know is that Kerala has more Argentina fans than Spain fans. So know where Kerala will be. I'm safely flying out to Parliament in Delhi. I will try to avoid the drama, whatever is going to happen here, when the results come out. But by all accounts, it's going to be a very remarkable match because these are two extraordinarily successful teams. I think, frankly, for our football fans, one of the sad things is we don't have our own national team to identify with at these levels. I only hope that watching this world-class football will inspire more youngsters in India to become world-class footballers themselves," Tharoor told the reporters.
The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will be played at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday.
Spain, the reigning European champions, are aiming for their first Fifa World Cup crown since 2010, while Lionel Messi's Argentina seek back-to-back titles.
Defending champions Argentina secured a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over England in the semifinal, overturning a first-half deficit with Enzo Fernandez scoring the equaliser before Lautaro Martinez netted the stoppage-time winner to send the defending champions into the title clash against Spain.
Spain, on the other hand, secured a place in the Fifa World Cup final for the first time since their 2010 triumph after defeating France 2-0 with a composed performance.