Soccer: Archbishop says England fans can worship and watch

The soccer-loving Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Church of England, has given his blessing to clergy who want to move church times on Sunday to avoid a clash with England's first World Cup match.

"Worship comes first of course, but this comes round only every four years so we can afford to be flexible," the Archbishop, George Carey, said yesterday.

Some clergy have written hymns for the occasion while at least one has hired a big screen for the vicarage lawn so parishioners do not have to choose between God and country.

Sunday' match against Sweden kicks off at 10.30am British time (9.30pm NZT).

The Archbishop, a keen supporter of English premier division club Arsenal, will still have to miss the match because he must attend the one service in the country that cannot be moved - a celebration at Windsor of Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee.

Royal teenagers Princes William and Harry will also miss the match because of the service to mark their grandmother's 50 years on the throne.

Not all Church of England vicars will accommodate the soccer supporters in their congregation, however.

Geoffrey Kirk from St Stephen's in Lewisham, southeast of London, told The Times newspaper that the idea of juggling service times "renders me absolutely speechless".

- REUTERS

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