Ecuador declares national holiday after World Cup qualification; metro and road travel continue

President Daniel Noboa signed Executive Decree 431, making Friday 26 June 2026 a non‑recoverable national holiday across Ecuador following the football team’s 2‑1 victory over Germany that secured World Cup qualification. The decree suspends labour and school activities while essential services such as health, water, electricity, fire‑fighters, transport terminals and banks remain minimally staffed.

The public‑owned Metro de Quito announced it will keep its regular weekday schedule, operating from 05:30 to 23:00 across all 15 stations, and urged passengers to plan trips and use digital access channels to avoid crowding.

At the same time, the Terminal Terrestre de Riobamba experienced a surge in passenger numbers as citizens travelled to Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca, Ambato and other locales to visit family or tour the country. Officials coordinated ordinary operations to manage the flow. President Noboa thanked the players on social media, writing: “Gracias a los jugadores y al técnico… que lograron darle esta inmensa alegría al país entero.”