When Is Father's Day? Dates by Country, Explained

In the US, the UK, Canada, India, and most of the world, Father's Day falls on the third Sunday of June, which is 21 June in 2026. It is not a fixed calendar date but a rule, so it moves each year. Plenty of countries also celebrate on entirely different days, from 19 March in Spain to the first Sunday of September in Australia. Here is when Father's Day lands where you are, and why the date is not the same everywhere.

When is Father's Day in 2026, 2027, and 2028?

For the US, UK, and Canada, Father's Day is always the third Sunday of June. That makes the next dates:

• 2026: Sunday, 21 June
• 2027: Sunday, 20 June
• 2028: Sunday, 18 June

Because it is tied to a weekday and not a number, the date shifts by a day or two each year and never lands on the same date twice in a row. If you only remember one thing, remember "third Sunday of June" and you will always be right.

Father's Day around the world

Most English-speaking countries share the June date, but many do not. Here is how the most-searched countries compare.

If your country is not listed, the safe default is the third Sunday of June, which is by far the most common date worldwide.

Why the date is different around the world

The June date is the American one. The first Father's Day was held in Washington State in 1910, the US made it a permanent holiday in 1972, and the third-Sunday-of-June timing spread to the UK, Canada, and much of the world along with the greeting-card and gift tradition.

Older traditions sit underneath that. In Spain, Portugal, Italy, and other Catholic countries, Father's Day is St Joseph's Day on 19 March, honoring the father of the Holy Family. Germany ties Vatertag to Ascension Day, a public holiday 39 days after Easter, which is why its date jumps around the calendar. Australia and New Zealand celebrate on the first Sunday of September, near the start of spring in the southern hemisphere, so a single June date was never going to fit every country.

Make this Father's Day one he remembers

Knowing the date is the easy part. The harder part is finding something he will keep. A card gets read once, but the gifts that last tend to be the personal ones, which is why we wrote a guide to gifts your dad will actually keep.

One of the most-kept is a short video of his own life. Old photos of him as a young father, his parents, the family over the years, restored and gently brought to life. You can see the quality first with a free First Look that restores and animates three of your photos into a short sample, no card needed. Start a few weeks before the date so it is ready in time.

FAQ

When is Father's Day in the US in 2026?

Father's Day in the United States is Sunday, 21 June 2026. It is always the third Sunday of June, so it falls on 20 June in 2027 and 18 June in 2028. Canada and India use the same date.

When is Father's Day in the UK, and is it the same as the US?

Yes. The UK celebrates Father's Day on the same day as the US, the third Sunday of June, which is 21 June in 2026. The two countries have shared the date since the June tradition spread from the United States.

When is Father's Day in Australia?

Australia and New Zealand celebrate Father's Day on the first Sunday of September, not in June. That is 6 September in 2026, 5 September in 2027, and 3 September in 2028, near the start of southern-hemisphere spring.

Why is Father's Day in Germany on a different date?

In Germany, Father's Day ("Vatertag") is held on Ascension Day, a public holiday 39 days after Easter. Because Easter moves each year, so does the date: 14 May in 2026, 6 May in 2027, and 25 May in 2028.

Is Father's Day always the third Sunday of June?

In the US, UK, Canada, and most of the world, yes. But it is not universal. Spain, Portugal, and Italy mark it on 19 March, Germany on Ascension Day, and Australia on the first Sunday of September, so the date depends on the country.