First Minister John Swinney will be joined Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport, as well as by Sports Minister Maree Todd and Community Care Minister Alison Thewliss.
The First Minister agreed to grant special permission for Mr Flynn and Ms Thewliss to add extra holidays to their nine-week parliamentary recess break, the Mail on Sunday is reporting.
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Last night critics described the MSPs’ World Cup trip during parliamentary time as a ‘jolly.’
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “John Swinney’s taxpayer-funded World Cup jolly merits a red card for hypocrisy given his previous attacks on rival MSPs who spent their own money to follow their teams while parliament was sitting.
“With serious question marks over Swinney’s leadership due to his central role in the Peter Murrell scandal, I’m sure he’s delighted that serial plotter Stephen Flynn is off to the US — and probably hopes it’s a one-way ticket.
“I’ll be cheering on Scotland from home while backing our beleaguered hospitality sector, which has been hammered by the SNP.”
Last week Mr Swinney told the Mail on Sunday he would be going to watch Scotland play Haiti in their opening match on June 14 and would combine the trip with “other commitments around investment and economic activity”.
However, at the time, he said he didn’t know what other ministers in his government would also be going.
While Mr Swinney and sports minister Ms Todd are due to attend in an official capacity, transport secretary Mr Flynn and community care minister Ms Thewliss have been given time off to go, effectively taking their summer breaks early.
Parliament is not due to go into recess until June 25 – the day after the last Scotland match in the opening round against Brazil.
The SNP’s decision to allow four ministers to go to the US comes despite Mr Swinney claiming that his government would work “harder than ever” for the people of Scotland.
It also comes after Mr Swinney criticised Tory MSP Murdo Fraser for flying to Seville, Spain, in 2022 at his own expense to watch Rangers play in the Europa League final.
Mr Findlay also took aim at political rival Malcolm Offord after the Reform party’s Scotland leader stated in December that he also planned to go to the World Cup.
The Scots Tory leader said: “I’ll be standing up to the SNP at Holyrood while Lord Offord scores an own goal by abandoning FMQs just weeks into his new job.”
Politicians do not have any formal annual leave entitlement and are expected to take holidays during the 142 days that parliament is in recess throughout the year.
However, the fact Holyrood will still be in session during Scotland’s first three matches means Mr Flynn and Ms Thewliss are taking holidays during working time.
News that Mr Flynn has been given the green light to go comes after weeks of speculation over whether Mr Swinney would give permission– something required given his status as a cabinet minister.
The former SNP Westminster leader first said he planned to go to the World Cup in the wake of Scotland’s 4-2 win over Denmark at Hampden in November.
At the time, Mr Flynn changed his X profile to ‘GOING TO THE WORLD CUP’, and later confirmed he meant that he was personally travelling to North America.
The 2026 finals, which run from June 11 to July 19, clash with Holyrood’s timetable, where the Scottish Parliament is not expected to start its summer recess until June 25.
Mr Flynn has defended his plans, saying his constituents would be “understanding of the rarity of the occasion”.
A Scottish Labour spokeswoman said she was “unaware” of any of the party’s MSPs planning to attend the sporting spectacular, and the Scottish Conservatives said the same, while the Scottish Greens said none of their MSPs were going.
Scotland will take on Haiti on June 13, then Morocco six days later before playing Brazil on June 24, with the matches taking place in Boston and Miami.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “As is the case in any workplace people can take leave when they receive the appropriate clearance.”
