World Cup 2026 and the Night Shift: German Workers Risk Dismissal Over Late-Night Football
13.06.2026 - 09:53:59 | boerse-global.de
The 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico will kick off at German-friendly hours ranging from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time. But for employees in Germany, staying up to watch the matches carries professional risks that go far beyond a groggy morning. Labour courts have made clear: fatigue from late-night sports viewing is no excuse for showing up late.
Germany’s Federal Labour Court (BAG) has long ruled that workers bear a secondary duty not to culpably impair their own ability to work. Tardiness following nocturnal broadcasts can result in wage deductions, written warnings and, in repeated cases, dismissal. Employers are advised to set clear policies early, whether through vacation approvals or flextime arrangements. There is no legal right to have private sporting interests accommodated.
The strict approach to time-keeping extends well beyond football. Even small, unintentional errors on time cards can justify instant dismissal. The Regional Labour Court of Rhineland-Palatinate recently held that a single mistaken entry — for example, recording a smoking break as working time — amounts to a breach of trust severe enough to warrant a summary termination, regardless of intent. Smoking breaks, unless covered by a collective agreement, are generally not counted as working hours and must be recorded correctly.
Another growing threat is unauthorised remote work from abroad. The Munich Labour Court ruled that “workation” without explicit permission does not only jeopardise insurance coverage — it can also lead to dismissal. The BAG stressed back in September 2022 that the duty to record working hours applies fully to mobile work.
Meanwhile, Berlin is pushing ahead with a fundamental reform of the daily working time cap. The government plans to abolish the current maximum of eight or ten hours per day in favour of a weekly limit. Advocates promise greater flexibility, but critics warn of health risks. Andreas Hemsing, deputy head of the civil servants’ association dbb, cautioned that the change would pile extra strain on workers. A Bundestag vote is expected in early July.
Liability is not limited to rank-and-file employees. Germany’s implementation of the EU NIS-2 directive exposes managing directors to significant personal liability for IT-security lapses. Fines can reach €10 million or 2% of global annual turnover. Surveys suggest fewer than one-third of affected companies have seriously engaged with the new rules. On minimum wage violations, the BAG clarified that GmbH managing directors are not personally liable for damages under tort law, though individual fines against them remain possible.
An international case from Spain underscores how far the right to issue instructions can go. A court there upheld the summary dismissal of an employee who regularly arrived 30 to 45 minutes before her shift started, despite prior warnings. German legal experts say a similar outcome is conceivable under domestic law if instructions are repeatedly flouted.
Even the nature of the employment relationship itself is under scrutiny. The Higher Social Court of Saxony-Anhalt ruled that a job created solely to obtain insurance coverage can be retroactively voided. The message from German courts is unequivocal: employment must be genuinely lived.
