BBC NEWS | Talking Point | How will you watch the World Cup?

Friday's crucial quarter-final match against Brazil in Shizuoka is expected to see one in five employees taking the day off to watch England's performance.

In Leeds' Millennium Square, 7,000 fans are expected to watch the match on a huge screen at Britain's largest World Cup gathering.

The 32-metre screen erected in London's Trafalgar Square is expected to attract so many fans that authorities are asking people who don't work in the area to stay away for safety reasons.

MG Rover staff in Birmingham have been granted the day off and even churches are bowing to the popularity of the game - Leigh Road Baptist Church in Leigh-on-Sea is providing its worshippers with a screening of the most fearsome game for English fans.

At Manchester's Pure Space café, the hospitality even extends to Brazilian supporters who have admitted some nervousness about the game.

Are you going to phone in sick? Have you got any superstitions about the match? Will you be taking a mascot with you? Has the game interrupted your plans for something special - like your wedding?

On an island in the Caribbean called little Cayman population 150. Where approx 20 English ex-pats will be cheering on "the Lads" at the Southern Cross club watching at 1.30 am our time. Good luck
Neil, Cayman Islands

It will be 11 p.m. Thursday here in British Columbia. If I have to stay up all night to cheer for England I will do so.
Douglas Todd, Canada

The family will watch it, all of us dressed in our England shirts. It'll be 12:30am here in Calgary, Alberta. Go England Go.
Pat Reid, Canada

I'm a university lecturer and I've cancelled my three lectures today to watch the game at my local Irish pub in the middle of Tokyo. Last week I warned my students that I might be "sick" today...
P, Tokyo Japan (from UK)

I have neither cable nor satellite TV, so will follow the match live in text on the BBC Web Site. Living in Wisconsin it kicks off at 1:30 a.m. CST, so I will just stay up all night.
Jacqui, Brit in USA

Australia is loving the World Cup even though the Aussie team isn't in it. I'll be watching it on a big screen in a bar in the University of Sydney. Not long to go now. Come on Eng-er-land.
Russell , Australia

Getting a large group together in an English Pub in Wellington to cheer on the boys.

Dazza, New Zealand

Fantastic timing for Brazil game - 6.30pm Friday night. Getting a large group together in an English Pub in Wellington to cheer on the boys. Come On ENGLAND!!!!!!!
Dazza, New Zealand

With a Italian father, English mother, German wife, British/USA passports, ex landlord to the Brazilian coach of Grenada, will be watching here in Grenada, come on the winner.(England, I hope)
tony sorace, Grenada

I will be watching the games in Ottawa Canada with a few friends. it will be 2.30am here, but we dont care about the time. Good luck to the English players because they will need it.
Olumide, Ottawa, canada

On the big screen TV at my local riverside bar called Speeds, 11:30 pm along with about 20 other ex-pat brits England 3 Brazil 1
mart, Vancouver, Canada

Who says the world cup is not big in North America then??

paul, Toronto

I'll be going to the local pub despite kick off being at 02.30 here there will be a full house and if it's anything like the Argentina game there will be at least 3 TV crews filming us celebrating England beating Brazil. Who says the world cup is not big in North America then?? Seems like you listen to too many Americans !!!!
paul, Toronto, Canada

British Military, serving in the USA, the country that can lay claim to the worlds worst coverage of the World Cup. Thank god for a Mexican Channel that showed the Denmark game live, ESPN's live coverage was cancelled for a taped version hour later!
Kev Gregory, USA

In a few hours time I will be slipping out of the office here in Kabul, along with colleagues from the humanitarian community, to watch at least the second half of the match - the only drawback is that we can only pick up the game on Turkish satellite TV so the commentary may be a little tricky to follow ! But the flags will be waving, all the same.
Eddie, Afghanistan

I've got a few hours off from the UN refugee agency to watch the match this afternoon. Will be wearing my "We lubb chu Engrund" t-shirt.
Simon Russell, Hong Kong, China

I'm running off early from work to the only pub serving real ale to watch the England win.

Chas Cogan, Australia

As an Ex Pat in Melbourne I will just be finishing my working day as the whistle blows.Fortunately I'm running off early from work to the only pub serving real ale to watch the England win.
Chas Cogan, Australia

I'll be watching the game in a very small bar in a small town somewhere in southern Ecuador!!
Andrew Phillips, Ecuador

Come on England! - Give us something to gloat about in front of the aussies - Cheers! Paul - currently in Sydney
Paul Hartley, England

I'll be watching the biggest came since the '66 final in Sydney. The atmosphere here is great, England flags everywhere and even the sun has decided to come out to cheer the lads on! Come on Ingerland and make this one, one to remember for a long time!
Anthony, Australia

I will be in a Hotel room in Panama City, FL. Hoping that ESPN will be screening the match. I have searched high and low for a bar that will be screening bit no luck. Otherwise I will be following THE GAME of the world cup on Beeb.com. Come on England!!
Mike , USA

Looking forward to a fantastic game (I hope!)

Jo, Singapore

The game will be played at 1430hrs Singapore time. I've taken the day off. Looking forward to a fantastic game (I hope!)
Jo, Singapore

I'm not a football fan but I am going to get some time off to watch the match with my husband at home. Many of my friends also have this plan and we are all supporting England. Only three hours to go and we can the exciting game kicked off.
Maggie Lo, Hong Kong (China)

Despite the game being aired at 3:30 a.m. here in Brazil (Brasilia time), I'll stay up tonight to watch Brazil defeat England with a difference of at least two goals.
Christiano Jose Jabur, Brazil

Here I am in Incheon, Korea. Today, I will watch the biggest match in 2002 World Cup at my medical clinic with 'Be The Reds' shirt. Dear all the british and brazilian patients with ischemic heart disease: Don't excite! just inspirate deeply and deeply !! and see you in final match !!
Taeyong Son, Korea

In the United States, you would hardly know that there is a world cup competition in progress. This despite the best showing an American team has made since the first tournament. To most of us in The States, it's about as exciting as watching grass grow.
Mark, USA

School insisted that we learn physics rather than watch the game

Duncan, UK

The Argentina game created a lot of arguments as our school insisted that we learn physics rather than watch the first 30 minutes of the game. Luckily this Friday our assembly has been changed so the entire school will watch the match on a big screen. People seem to be coming around to the idea of the World Cup now that England is so high up in the competition.
Duncan, UK

I will be sitting in my bar, the FU pub on Phuket Island enjoying a cold beer watching England defeat Brazil. You're all invited to join me.
Kevin Underdown, Thailand

My son has taken the whole month off! He was the one in Trafalagar Square after the Argentinian match on top of the statue with the Cross of St George.
Sarah Gee, UK

I'll rush out the lecture hall pretending I've got diarrhoea

Sohail Khan, Pakistan

I am a medical student and I'll be having a tutorial at the time the match starts . I really don't want to miss this exciting match so I'll have to rush out the lecture hall pretending I've got diarrhoea.
Sohail Khan, Pakistan

I certainly don't intend being out on the streets tomorrow. I dread to think what might happen if the English team loses. There is a worrying potential for mob violence. As it was, there was no shortage of drunken, loud-mouthed oafs around after last Saturday's match.
M M O, UK

I'll be watching the World Cup, with a flag in one hand, a pint of good ole British cold beer, and not a single negative thought in my mind. Godspeed lads! Go get 'em!!!
Colin, En-gaaa-laaand

My company sent a survey round to staff offering us time off if we take holiday entitlement or make up hours, or have TV or radios in office, which we have, so no-one has taken a sickie. Sensible company, and it has worked.
Barbara Osborn, England

When England plays, it's a perfect time to get out and get everything done - or so I thought! I was in a shopping centre recently during a game, and one of the malls in front of an electrical goods store became a viewing gallery. You could hear the chants throughout the shopping centre. It seems those like me who have no interest in football just can't get away from it wherever we go!
P G, UK

Give employees a couple of hours off to watch the matches

Colin G, UK

All the latest business hype is about teams and team building. Here we have a period where most of the country, football enthusiasts or not (I am not) are united in their support of the England team. Companies should recognise and capitalise on this by joining their employees in this demonstration of support. Provide a few TVs and give employees a couple of hours off to watch the matches and this gesture of goodwill will be remembered.
Colin G, UK

I am currently doing my final teaching practice to become fully trained teacher, and cannot skip a days work to watch the football. (This goes for the majority of other teachers). Luckily the Argentina game was during half term, but last week's match and the following 1 (hopefully 2) are on when I am teaching at school. This means unless the head decides to let us watch it, which didn't happen before, then we don't get to see the end of the game. Plus we have lots of disappointed children as well.
Catherine, UK

The time conversion has been a disaster. I've only seen two games thus far, given I live in California, most of the live games are on too late, usually 2:30am or 4:30am most often during work days, including the USA/Mexico game Monday early in the AM. Since '94 was in the USA, '98 in France, and 2002 in East Asia, I guess it's appropriate that someone in the Western hemisphere gets to host it again in 2006!
Stephen, USA

There is hardly any TV coverage of the largest participation sport in the UK: fishing.

Mark Cordell, Teesside

I always find it strange that there is hardly any TV coverage of the largest participation sport in the UK: fishing. Contrary to all the hype, I think most people have little to no interest in football/soccer or whatever it's called.
Mark Cordell, Teesside, England

Missing work, missing school, it'll only be a day or two.. but to miss England score those masterful goals is like a dagger through my heart! So cheer on the lads because England winning is an incredible feeling!
Jimi, Canada

What a way to go - the Danes were struck by the tornado. England can repeat 1966 if they are persistent.
Khalid Rahim, Canada

Enjoy the footy

S. Smith, UK

Why is there so much fuss about the cost to the economy of people watching England in the World Cup? How on earth can some accountant put a figure on it and who cares anyway? There's obviously going to be people taking a little time out to watch games, but in most cases it makes it makes absolutely no difference to the work they do - it may even make them more productive. Workers are not robots digging holes, so economists please shut up for the next two weeks and enjoy the footie.
S. Smith, UK

Please, for the next World Cup, can all the matches be on the BBC? Your coverage of the tournament has been excellent while ITV have been absolutely abysmal. The BBC understand that this is the 'World' Cup and does not cut off an incredibly exciting game between two other countries (Paraguay v South Africa in ITV's case) to show yet more interviews with Michael Owen (as if we haven't had a whole 6 months of them). Keep up the good work.
James Warwick, UK

I won't be taking any notice, as I loathe the oafish game.
Bob Harvey, Lincs, UK

In 1989 I bought a 6 inch black and white TV with its own internal 4 hour battery pack. I place it on my desk and watch all the games televised. This is now the fourth Word Cup I have used it and non of my bosses have ever objected.
Graham, UK

We will still be watching England even if we all have to pull sickies and get the sack

Ian Richardson, England

My boss is a miserable so and so and has effectively banned anybody from watching any football - even during our lunch hour. We will still be watching England though - even if we all have to pull sickies and get the sack. It's worth it!
Ian Richardson, England

I work for a large software company. They are streaming the games live to our desktops, sound and all! Now that is good for relations with management!
Chris Snell, UK

Luckily for us the games are on at reasonable times; 4pm, 7.30 and 9.30pm. Last Friday we were at an English pub after work (with queues going out the door and round the corner from 6pm) to watch England beat Argentina. The atmosphere was brilliant, if a little squashed but a great night was had by all. Tomorrow night will probably be a repeat performance.
Janelle, Melbourne, Australia

I am not a football follower and have no particular interest in the World Cup, so staying off work to watch matches seems strange to me. However, it does occur to me that UK businesses may now be reaping what they have sown over the past decade or so. They have done little to maintain employee loyalty with issues such as laying off people only to rehire them on short term contracts in order to avoid long employment period liabilities and, more recently, issues such as summary changes being made to pension scheme arrangements. Of course there are many excellent employers out there and I don't agree with skiving off, but who's to blame for the general change in employee loyalty?
Paul B, Oxfordshire, UK

Business and getting to work is not always a priority

Roy Harvey, UK

Business and getting to work is not always a priority. When is the world of business going to face up to the fact that we have much better things to be doing with our time? When it suits a company, they make us redundant - is it any wonder that we don't care if we lose a couple of hours here and there.
Roy Harvey, UK

I am a dissident when it comes to big sporting events. I will not pay attention.
Michael Karcher, USA

As soon as I got to work, I rushed to my computer to check your website for the England-Nigeria score and highlights. I was lucky enough to be able to watch the games which began at 5am local time, as they ended by the time I had to leave to catch the train for work. My mother has been taping the 7.30am matches, so I can watch them in the evening. But I'm glad England got through to the second round, and I'll be able to watch the next match over the weekend.
Barbara Canary, Boston, USA

I have the BBC Sport web score ticker for most games but the Irish and English games are on the big screen in the board room. The company I work for rocks!
Maxine, N Ireland

I'm down here working with the Germans and French on the next Ariane launch, which means supporting Ireland, England and Germany. Since the French are a little bit left out we've suggested they support their B team ie - Senegal!!
Ian Henry, French Guyana

It will be pretty hard for any team to overcome Senegal.

Pascal Nzabonimpa, USA

After watching Senegal play in the African Cup against Cameroon (the team that I support) and seeing them play in this World Cup I think there is nothing stopping this team. After beating 'Les Bleus' it will be pretty hard for any team to overcome Senegal. I believe that it would even have survived if it was in the 'group of death'.
Pascal Nzabonimpa, USA

For the England vs. Argentina game I watched the first half in Leeds city centre on a giant screen and listened to the second half on a small radio back at work since my boss was away that day. The England v Nigeria match I watched from 7.30 to 8.00 at home, from 8.00 to 8.15 on my radio whilst waiting for the bus. For the second half I walked through town with my small radio glued to my ear and ended up watching the last 20 minutes in the pub just a stone's throw away from my work. I got into work for 9.30. I have made up the time by working through my lunch.
Cathy Harrison, England

I go into the Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton this morning for 3 days of chemotherapy and will watch the Saturday match from my room in the Robert Tiffany ward. Thank you for a consistently enjoyable and informative programme.
Peter Thurston, UK

We couldn't drag ourselves out of bed

Greg, Wales

Well I wasn't going to miss it, and the intention was to get down our bar in university halls, but things don't always work out that way for us at 07:00! We couldn't drag ourselves out of bed, and we don't really regret it.
Greg, Wales

Some businessman has snagged the exclusive TV rights for the UAE so you can only watch the World Cup by buying an expensive new satellite system. Luckily, I live near the Omani border and can pick up the picture where they are showing all the matches free!
Paul Hudson, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

Despite getting up at 05:30 for the match I missed it as I stood on various platforms waiting for trains and tubes. Still, the Silverlink train drivers will have enjoyed seeing it at home. Humph.
Anon, UK

All the adrenalin has been zapped out of my system

Geoff Bell, England

For the first time in almost 12 years I watched an England game sober and then went to work. I now feel worse for not having a drink as all the adrenalin has been zapped out of my system thanks to the monotony of Jimmy Young in the afternoon - roll on 16:30 and a pint or two to celebrate!
Geoff Bell, England

Seems like half of Blighty is out here on Koh Samui. Game kicked off at 13:30, it's now 19:30 and everyone is wasted thanks to the free shots being handed out by Swedes in the Viking bar. Must go, need sleep.
Dan, Thailand

I'm living in the middle of nowhere in north Sumatra so I'll be supporting Ireland and England to the background chorus of the jungle. The local people here are Bataks; the UK would be surprised to know how many Batak supporters they have!!
James Lewis, Wales

Bunking off to watch the footie should be a doddle

Alex Duggan, UK

I don't do much at work anyway - I usually try to spend my day surfing the web - so bunking off to watch the footie should be a doddle. I'll just leave my office door open, make sure I have papers under my arm as a cover if I meet anyone, and sneak out, pretending I have a meeting somewhere.
Alex Duggan, UK

We're not allowed to watch the England matches at work and the firm I work for have invited a load of business people to our function room to watch the match. Staff were sat at their desks whilst half-cut business people wandered round the office in the breaks. Needless to say morale is incredibly low.
Anon, England

Who cares what the pinstriped fat cats say? The thought of these apoplectic fools frothing at the mouth at workers skiving off makes me laugh out loud. If employers aren't enlightened enough to let you watch the World Cup then by all means phone in sick. After all they can't sack the entire workforce.
Nick, UK

I live in Vienna but had to work, so I watched (read) the game via the BBC's website - well done the Beeb.
Mike, Austria

I'd rather be sacked than miss out

Erik Ridehalgh, England

I won't be going to work when the games are on. I'd rather be sacked than miss out on a chance to roar England to victory.
Erik Ridehalgh, England

I don't intend watching any more England games unless I have trouble sleeping. I have a video of the Nigeria game, should the insomnia get really bad.
Leigh, USA (UK originally)

How will I be watching? On the edge of my seat, hoping Rio Ferdinand stays in the zone!
Ben Drake, York, UK

We resorted to a live commentary on a phone line from Wales!

Keeley and Kirsten, France

We're in Paris and they were showing the Argentina vs Sweden match so we resorted to a live commentary on a phone line from Wales! Thanks Tom.
Keeley and Kirsten, France

My company hired a room and big screen at the Reebok Stadium and provided breakfast and a free bar!! Far from reducing productivity I am motivated to do more.
Jon Sockett, England

Booked a half-day holiday, got up, watched the first half, cooked a fry up at half-time, watched the second half, went back to bed for an hour, get up, went to work. Simple!
Steve Hodgson, UK

I'll go to the supermarket as it's practically empty when the football is on!
Jacky, England

I watched the match at my local gym whilst working out.
Sunjay Bhogal, London, UK

Productivity will probably improve

Steve Cahill, England

My employers have taken the most generous, sensible and mature decision to provide big screen TVs for all the England/Ireland games. So what if people watch the games? There are no sickies being taken and people are available on-site if any work problems arise. More importantly, it has served to cultivate good employer/ee relations. In the long term, productivity will probably improve as a result of this policy.
Steve Cahill, England

I won't be watching it at all. I could not care less who wins!
E. Severn, UK

It isn't too bad here - all I have to do is book one of the conference rooms to watch England. And when Germany play, I get to catch up on my work and hear the colleagues scream for the Germans.
Mark Hendrikx, Berlin, Germany

Straight down the local for a couple of beers

Gaz of Pompey, England

Finish a 12 hour nightshift at 07:00 then straight down the local for a couple of beers and a bacon roll or 3... lovely! COME ON ENG-GER-LAND!!
Gaz of Pompey, England

I'll be in an Irish pub in downtown Chicago with about 250 other ex-pats cheering on England live on ESPN.
Jack Liebeskind, USA/ UK ex-pat

Here in Mexico the games are on right in the middle of the night so what we do is sleep after work from around 18:00 until 01:00 and then stay up throughout the night watching the games! It's tiring but worth every second of it!
Mark van der Ploeg, Mexico/ ex-UK and Holland

I had to fly out to the US yesterday - talk about bad timing. I'll be setting the alarm in my hotel room to wake me up at 02:30 so that I can watch the game live... Come on lads - we know you can do it!!!
Jonathan, USA (temporarily)

Well I'm in the British army, currently stationed in the US. It's on air at 02:35 and I'll be up with my 10-year-old son cheering every step of the way!!
Rob Urquhart, USA

I can always watch it again in the evening

Rhys Jaggar, England

First half on the telly at home, second half on the radio. I've deliberately arranged a client meeting in north Manchester for 09:30, so as to ease the traffic problems for the journey. Any other day it would take an hour, Wednesday: well, I reckon 25 minutes should get me there. I can always watch it again in the evening...
Rhys Jaggar, England

We'll be up at 02:25 to watch: so they'd better not disappoint.
Steve Robertson, USA East Coast/ ex UK

I'll be setting up an honorary Nigeria football supporters' club (just for tonight that is!) I am Welsh, in California, but will not be supporting England any of the way!
Robin Jones, Wales

Well here in Canada it is a BIG event, almost eclipsing the Stanley Cup. It's on at 23:00 so I have to go home and nap so I can stay up. HERE WE GO!!
Andrew Smith, Vancouver, Canada

My company has put up three large plasma screens (costing six grand to hire) for us to watch whatever matches we like (and Wimbledon too). I reckon a fifth of the company watched the Argentina match. So whilst this represents a lot in lost earnings, it does create a hell of a lot more respect for management and thus in the long term costs will doubtless be recouped.
Jon, UK

I swapped my shift to a 'late' so I can stay in bed for the match and be at work for 11:00. If they play like they did against Sweden I'll probably fall back to sleep, but if they play like they did against Argentina I'm worried my bed springs won't be able to take me jumping up and down for 90 minutes.
Billy, UK

This is one of the better timed games

Tony Hughes, USA

This is one of the better timed games. It's on at 11:00 here in California, and it's on live so me and the family will be glued to the set praying that England don't mess things up. Nigeria will not be easy but there is something different about the England team this time around, COME ON ENGLAND!!!!!!!
Tony Hughes, USA

I'll be watching the match down here in Chile, five-hour time difference with the UK! I'm Welsh, but I'll be supporting England all the way.
Lesley Pulsford, Chile, South America

Ha. I'll be watching re-runs on ESPN over here. Biggest sporting event in the world and the Americans barely notice. Oh well, at least a couple of the England games are live. Bah.
Arthur Taylor, USA / ex-UK