Football fever grips India: Manipur, Meghalaya join Kerala in declaring holiday

IMPHAL/SHILLONG: Manipur and Meghalaya have declared a holiday for all educational institutions on Monday, allowing students to watch the FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, which kicks off at 12.30 a.m. IST. The two northeastern states join Kerala, which had earlier announced a holiday for schools on Monday in view of the late-night final.

In Manipur, the state government ordered the closure of all schools, colleges and universities, including government, aided and unaided institutions. The decision is aimed at enabling students to watch the final without having to attend classes early the next morning.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced a similar holiday through a social media post, describing football as a sport deeply woven into the state's culture. Officials said many students were expected to remain awake until the early hours to watch the match and would find it difficult to attend classes later in the morning.

The announcements have been welcomed by students and football fans, particularly in the football-loving states of Kerala and the Northeast, where the FIFA World Cup traditionally attracts large television audiences.

Spain will take on defending champions Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final in a match expected to draw millions of viewers across India.