Chris Minns Rules Out Friday Public Holiday For Socceroos World Cup Clash

NSW Premier Chris Minns has ruled out declaring a public holiday on Friday for the Socceroos’ FIFA World Cup Group D match against Paraguay.

The match will be played at 12pm AEST in the United States as part of the FIFA World Cup 2026, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with Australia aiming to secure qualification for the Round of 32 knockout stage. It is the final Group D fixture for both teams. Both Australia and Paraguay enter the match with one win and one loss from their group stage games, leaving qualification positions still open.

Speaking on 2GB radio on Wednesday morning during a scheduled interview segment, former Socceroo Archie Thompson asked Minns whether a public holiday would be considered to coincide with the match. Minns responded directly, stating, “I can’t do it,” Minns said. “I know a lot of people will be watching it on their phones, but the answer is unfortunately no.”

Qualification scenarios are dependent on results across Group D. A win would secure progression, potentially placing Australia second in Group D behind the United States due to head-to-head tiebreak rules, which prioritise results between teams tied on points. The United States’ earlier win over Australia would place it ahead in the standings in the event of equal points. A draw would also be sufficient for second place based on goal tally compared to Paraguay, with Australia currently holding a superior goal difference across group matches. A loss would leave Australia dependent on results in other groups to determine whether they advance as one of the higher-ranked third-placed teams.

NSW Premier Chris Minns’ comments follow growing public discussion around whether a public holiday could be declared to coincide with major sporting fixtures involving the Socceroos. This even included a Change.org petition from NSW high school students. The decision was made ahead of the Friday fixture, which kicks off at 12pm AEST and will be broadcast from the United States.