Banks ease office rules for World Cup commute disruptions
Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase will let some staff request remote work on match days as World Cup crowds strain New York-area transit.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are temporarily relaxing office-attendance rules for some employees during the 2026 World Cup, according to internal memos reviewed by the Financial Times. The shift matters because both banks have been among the most forceful Wall Street supporters of bringing staff back to offices.
The Financial Times reported that employees may request to work remotely on match days during the tournament. The policy is tied to expected travel disruption rather than a broader change in either bank’s stance on hybrid work.
New York and New Jersey are preparing for large crowds tied to World Cup matches, Fortune reported. Transit changes and street closures are expected around games, and ticket holders will receive priority during peak travel periods, according to the report.
That could leave some commuters who use affected routes unable to take their usual trains into the office or back home, Fortune reported. The banks’ temporary flexibility applies in that commuting context, according to the Financial Times memos cited by Fortune.
A narrow exception to office mandates
JPMorgan’s position stands out because Chief Executive Jamie Dimon has been one of the most visible critics of remote work among large-bank leaders. Fortune reported that JPMorgan began a five-day office requirement in March 2025, prompting employees to petition against the policy.
According to Fortune, the petition argued that the mandate disproportionately affected women, caregivers, senior workers and employees with disabilities. Fortune has previously reported that Dimon rejected the petition effort and told employees not to spend time on it.
Goldman Sachs has also taken a hard line on office attendance. Fortune reported that Goldman Chief Executive David Solomon previously described remote work as “an aberration” the company intended to correct quickly.
The World Cup exception does not mean the banks are giving workers time off to attend matches, Fortune reported. The change allows requests for remote work on affected days, according to the Financial Times.
Other employers respond differently
Bloomberg reported that the World Cup is prompting remote-work arrangements beyond Wall Street, including among federal agencies, publicists, government workers and school teachers. Those workers are also expected to deal with travel and access issues while the U.S. hosts the tournament, according to Bloomberg.
Amazon is taking a different approach, Bloomberg reported. Rather than loosening office requirements, the company is telling employees to arrive earlier than usual and pointing them to transit options meant to avoid traffic congestion, according to Bloomberg.
The temporary bank policies arrive as remote and hybrid work remain part of the labor market despite return-to-office campaigns. A monthly survey by economists at ITAM Business School and Stanford University found that U.S. workers still spend more than a quarter of their workdays at home, according to Fortune.
Fortune also reported that about half of U.S. companies asked employees to return to offices in 2023, while only a third maintained five-day office mandates the next year. LinkedIn data shared with Fortune showed that 40% of roles advertised globally last year were hybrid.
For Goldman and JPMorgan, the World Cup carveout appears limited to a specific operational problem: moving workers through a crowded New York-area transit system on match days. The broader return-to-office policies remain in place, according to Fortune’s reporting on the banks’ mandates.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.