Frank Bsirske, head the powerful German services union Verdi, said employers should give their employees slack to watch World Cup matches. "Employers should be flexible about working hours in order that their workforces can follow the matches," he told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper.

His plea found sympathy from employers' association chief Dieter Hundt, who said that each company would have to find its own solution in cooperation with its employees. Employees at his own firm could take advantage of flexible working hours and make up for lost hours another time, he told the paper.

Sports group Adidas, one of the World Cup's sponsors, will reportedly allow its employees to watch the games at their desks and set up large screens for those without personal TVs.

Many of the World Cup matches will begin during regular working hours, starting at the earliest at 3 p.m.