World Cup 2018: Lidl follow Aldi and announces it will close early on Sunday if England go through to the final

LIDL has pledged to close its stores early on if England make it through to the World Cup final on Sunday.

Why? Because Lidl knows it's coming home.

As football fever sweeps the nation, the German budget store has promised to open doors early at 9:30am and close at 3pm so that staff get home in time for kick off at 4pm.

Aldi already made the same promise last night - but it's only if Three Lions beat Croatia in Wednesday evening's semi-final match.

England are only playing their third World Cup semi-final ever and have the chance to reach the final for the second time in the team's history.

Sunday trading laws mean that the supermarkets will have to close at 4pm normally, so they will only be closing an hour early.

The discounter tweeted: "As the *official* supermarket of the England Football team, let's make *this* annoucnement official...

"*when* our boys make it to the final this Sunday, it will be early doors across our English stores. #3pmClosing #ItsComingHome"

The country has been gripped by the World Cup so far this summer, with pubs packed elbow-to-elbow with cheering punters, while the nation's motorways have been empty.

England fans hit the town on Saturday night after our football heroes reached our first semi-final in 28 years.

Boozy revellers looked partied out by the end of the night, with some still draped in flags as they made their way home.

A roaring 19million Three Lions' fans tuned in to watch England's incredible World Cup win against Sweden- and that doesn't even include revellers in pubs.

Lidl has launched a range of England's football team gear - and it even includes an entire football kit for kids for just £3.99.