Botswana Government Breaks Silence After Viral ‘Arsenal Holiday’ Notice Sparks Chaos

• Botswana’s government had to publicly dismiss a fake notice claiming Arsenal fans got a day off after the club’s title triumph
• The forged statement spread rapidly online as social media users joked about Arsenal supporters declaring their own holiday
• The viral post gained traction partly because Botswana has previously declared holidays to celebrate major sporting achievements

The Botswana government has dismissed a viral statement claiming Arsenal supporters in the country had been granted a public holiday to celebrate the club’s Premier League triumph.

On Tuesday, 20 May 2026, the verified Botswana Government X account issued a blunt response after the fake notice spread widely online. The account posted:

“NO, THERE IS NO HOLIDAY FOR ARSENAL FANS.”

The fake statement was dated 17 May 2026. It carried seemingly official Botswana government branding. The notice falsely claimed that President Duma Gideon Boko had approved a special day off for Arsenal supporters. It said fans would get Wednesday, 20 May 2026, off to celebrate the club’s reported Premier League success.

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Fake Botswana Arsenal holiday statement goes viral

The forged notice appeared to mimic an official government press release. It claimed Arsenal supporters were “encouraged to take Wednesday 20th May 2026 off from work” so they could celebrate the club’s “well-deserved Premier League success”.

The fake statement also urged employers to support Arsenal fans and “foster a spirit of unity and celebration”.

Social media users quickly reacted after the Botswana government publicly shut down the rumour.

X user @ThothiSebusang wrote:

“I felt that ‘NO’.”

@BTCs_ commented:

“Over zealous Arsenal fan must be behind the notice.”

Another user, @youngnphemelo, joked:

“Nna ke iphile holiday. Thank you” (I gave myself a holiday).

Meanwhile, @Themba_kaebis posted:

“O bua sentle ha ore jalo, dikgang tse ke tsa Europe. Batswana ga ba tsene gope hao” (You are right to say that, these are European matters. Batswana are not involved there).

Botswana’s sporting holiday history fuelled confusion

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The fake statement appeared believable because Botswana has previously celebrated major sporting victories with official holidays and special recognitions.

The country declared a public holiday after Botswana’s historic men’s 4x400m relay gold medal at the World Athletics Championships. Botswana also announced a half-day holiday after Letsile Tebogo won Olympic gold in the 200m at the 2024 Paris Games.

That history led some social media users to believe the Arsenal statement could have been genuine.

@SolaniTanjo wrote:

“Stamp looks legit. Security need to up their game and arrest such people.”

Another user, @AlfredThongs, added:

“So people actually spread the rumor to the level that a statement had to be issued. Arsenal impact is mental!!!”

Arsenal fans turn fake statement into social media joke

Even after the denial, the fake notice continued circulating across X, with football fans turning the situation into a running joke.

@Kalnormzac posted:

“C’mon one day won’t hurt. Let our Botswana brothers and sisters celebrate this Arsenal win.”

Others teased Arsenal supporters over the incident, while some fans jokingly insisted they would still take the day off.

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The viral fake holiday notice sparked widespread reactions online and highlighted football’s massive cultural influence across Africa.

Arsenal title celebrations spark another viral South African moment

Briefly News previously reported that Arsenal’s Premier League title celebrations sparked another viral moment in South Africa after fans resurfaced one of AKA’s old football tweets.

The late rapper’s post quickly spread across X alongside a viral video clip, as football supporters flooded social media with reactions. The online banter soon drew thousands of comments from fans who said the old tweet had “aged badly”.

Source: Briefly News