England fans risk being sacked if they call in sick to watch the World Cup

England fans have been warned they could be sacked if they call in sick to watch the World Cup.

The tournament will begin in Qatar on November 20, with England's Group B opener against Iran the following day.

It means England's first game will take place on a Monday afternoon. If the thought of having the day off work crossed your mind, think again.

Faking an illness to cheer Gareth Southgate's side on could result in you losing your job, according to national law firm Richard Nelson LLP.

Andrew Knorpel, consultant solicitor in the employment law team at Richard Nelson LLP, said:

"With England having come agonisingly close to winning the European Championships last year, the anticipation around the World Cup will only grow in the coming week.

"Due to the time difference many of the games are being played during working hours. While many England fans may be worried about missing the team’s first group stage match, we’d encourage them to have an open discussion with their employers about their working arrangements for that day.

"Where possible many companies may be able to offer an extended lunch break or even remote working for the afternoon and this is something we’d encourage.

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"If this cannot be granted, employees should consider taking annual leave rather than resorting to pulling a sickie. If an employer thinks their employee has called in sick and it is not genuine, they can investigate the case and take disciplinary action over unauthorised absence."

Games at the World Cup are set to kick-off at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm due to time zone differences in Qatar.

England's second group game against the USMT is scheduled for 7pm on Friday November 25 for those who are keen to see the Three Lions in action.

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They'll conclude their group on Tuesday November 29 against bitter rivals Wales, once again a 7pm start time.

Southgate is set to name his England squad on Thursday. Reports claim he's already finalised his selections in addition to informing players who will not be featured.

Among those are Chelsea full-back Reece James, who is still recovering from a knee injury.