Ecuador declare national holiday after stunning Germany at World Cup
Ecuador declared a national public holiday to celebrate a dramatic come-from-behind victory over Germany at the 2026 World Cup, one of the tournament's biggest upsets so far.
La Tricolor fell behind to the four-time world champions after just two minutes but recovered to win 2-1, with goals from Nilson Angulo and Gonzalo Plata. The result secured Ecuador a place in the knockout stage for the first time in 20 years.
President Daniel Noboa, who attended the match at MetLife Stadium, declared June 26 a public holiday, suspending the working day across the public and private sectors. Officials clarified that the day off would not need to be made up.
The win was celebrated as a landmark moment for Ecuadorian football, coming against one of the sport's traditional powerhouses. Germany, the winners of Group E in earlier results, were stunned by the South American side's resilience.
The upset added to a tournament that has produced several surprises, with underdog teams advancing at the expense of established names. Ecuador's progress set up a knockout tie as the competition moved into its decisive stages.
