Up to 10 million people in the Netherlands are expected to watch Monday afternoon’s World Cup football match between the Netherlands and Denmark.
All over the country schools have agreed to close early or set up giant screens, while company canteens have been given over to football fever.
As newspaper Trouw puts it: ‘this afternoon the Dutch economy depends on people who don’t like football’.
ArboNed, a company which helps firms combat absenteeism, has called on employers to be flexible in order to minimise the impact on operations. ‘We have urged companies to make a good agreement and allow staff to take an official day off,’ spokeswoman Linda van den Bergh told Trouw.
Day off
Researchers estimate 25% of the working population have asked for a day off to watch the match.
Nevertheless, work will continue as normal for most people. ‘Don’t think you can just park your car and you won’t get a ticket,’ a spokesman for Amsterdam’s traffic wardens told Trouw. There are enough people who are planning to work, he said.
And police region Gelderland-Midden has put 60 extra officers on duty to make house calls on suspects and people with unpaid fines. ‘With Oranje playing twice in one week, we think they are more likely to be home,’ a spokesman told news agency Novum.
The ANWB motoring organisation reported that the morning rush hour was much less busy than on a normal Monday.
