England are within two matches of ending 60 years of international football heartbreak — and a bank holiday on Friday, 24 July could be waiting on the other side of victory.

The Three Lions must overcome current world champions Argentina in the semi-finals, then navigate either France or Spain in the final, before any celebrations can truly begin. Yet the prospect of a national holiday is already being discussed at the highest levels of government.

Starmer opens the door

Outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer indicated he would consider granting a bank holiday should England go all the way. Speaking at a NATO summit in Turkey, ahead of Thomas Tuchel's side's victory over Norway, Starmer said: "I don't want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final."

Starmer has since resigned and is unlikely to be in office when any formal decision is made. His probable successor at 10 Downing Street, Andy Burnham, previously struck a more cautious tone, describing talk of a bank holiday before England's match at the Azteca as "a bit premature." With just 180 minutes of football potentially standing between England and immortality, that language now feels outdated.

The road to the final

Standing in England's way first is Argentina, who have ground their way to the semi-finals through demanding encounters against Cape Verde, Egypt, and Switzerland. At the heart of their campaign is Lionel Messi — 39 years old and almost certainly at his final World Cup — who has been producing moments of individual brilliance throughout the tournament.

Messi has scored eight goals at this edition of the competition, lifting his all-time World Cup tally to 21 goals and surpassing Miroslav Klose's previous record of 16. Argentina will not be moved easily.

Should England survive that test, the final awaits against either France, who boast arguably the tournament's most potent attack, or Spain, who possess arguably its most disciplined defence. Neither prospect is straightforward for Tuchel's men.

History in reach

A World Cup win would be England's first since their solitary triumph on home soil in 1966, enshrining this generation of players permanently in the nation's sporting memory. Friday, 24 July has already been earmarked as a potential bank holiday date — a detail that underlines just how seriously the possibility is being taken, even before a ball has been kicked in the semi-final.