Tesco is to close its Express stores in England early on Sunday if the Three Lions win their semi-final against the Netherlands.

The UK’s biggest grocer said its more than 1,800 Express stores will close at 7.30pm instead of the usual 10pm or 11pm to allow employees to watch a final involving England.

Tesco said the move would allow thousands of colleagues to get home or to the pub in time for kick-off, while still receiving their normal pay for those hours.

Those employees who do not want to watch the match will be also paid as normal.

Should England beat the Netherlands on Wednesday, they will face Spain in Berlin at 8pm on Sunday for a chance to become the first England men’s team to win a major tournament since the 1966 World Cup.

Because the match falls on a Sunday, the retailer’s larger stores in England will already be closed by the time the match kicks off.

All stores would then reopen as normal the following morning, with the majority from 6am or 7am.

Tesco reassured customers that stores would still be open as normal during the daytime on Sunday, so they can stock up on any essential pre-match supplies.

All online orders already placed for Sunday evening would be honoured and delivered as normal.

Stores in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland would continue to remain open in line with their usual hours.

Tesco’s managing director of UK stores, Kevin Tindall, said: “We will be cheering on the Three Lions tonight against the Netherlands and hope they reach a second successive Euros final.

“We appreciate just how much this would mean to so many of our colleagues, and we want them to be able to celebrate with their family and friends.

“So, if we make it through to the final, we will close our stores across England in time for them to get behind Gareth Southgate and the team, and we’ll all be hoping that football will be coming home.”