The report says the government is considering a one-off holiday, but no announcement has been made. The complication is that public holidays in England and Wales are decided by Westminster.
That means a celebration presented as an English response could also apply to Wales. A separate decision for England alone would be unusual under the current system, making Welsh involvement the most sensitive part of the debate.
For Wales, the issue reaches beyond football. Campaigners have long called for St David’s Day to become a national holiday, while successive governments have argued that another permanent day off could carry a significant economic cost.
The situation is different elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Scotland has powers over public holidays, so any decision there would rest with ministers in Edinburgh rather than Westminster.
The report says participation from Scotland appears unlikely, particularly after the country recently announced a separate holiday linked to its return to the men’s World Cup finals. That decision underlined Scotland’s preference for marking its own football milestones.
Northern Ireland also has devolved powers over holidays. Any involvement would therefore depend on its local executive rather than follow automatically from a Westminster announcement.
Starmer’s cautious response reflects the political risk. A title could create enormous public pressure for a day of celebration, but extending the measure across the UK would raise questions about identity, representation and devolved authority.
For now, the answer remains tied to England’s progress. The semifinal against Argentina comes first; only a place in the final would force Westminster to revisit the question publicly.