The World Cup only comes once every four years, but if you are not careful this one will pass you by in the middle of the night.

While most people applaud world footballing body FIFA's efforts to give every region of the globe a chance to host the tournament, the reality for Bermuda's diehard football fans is late nights and missed sleep with some games kicking off at the unearthly hour of 2.30 a.m.

But this won't stop locals from enjoying their favourite sport - which is being beamed from the far east all this month.

Bermudian Maxine DeSilva, 54, has seen nearly all the games so far. She says: "I am up at 2.30 to watch one and then I go to sleep and get up for six a.m. and watch another one."

She can also catch up with games at work as a caretaker of Heritage Worship Centre. "I have a TV on the job and take a break and watch."

She says World Cups are special and this one has been better than France `98. She says: "Some one is going to win it who we were not expecting. I always support the underdog."

For Trust Manager and France fan Marcus Mahy, globalisation has gone too far.

He says: "I think everyone finds the times inconvenient. Not that FIFA really cares. They gave it to the USA in 1994, a country that was totally ambivalent about the whole proceedings.

"To try to ease matters, I have installed a television in our office so that staff, especially me, can watch the games and keep up to date with the competition without having to be out of the office for part of the morning."

A flexible approach was recommended by Bermuda Employer's Council President Eddie Saints, who said employers should think about allowing workers to come in a bit later as long as the time was made up and the job was not affected.

He said: "A happy workforce is a happy business."

While the British press have been running stories about Internet sites offering employees bogus sick notes, he said there had been no similar abuses here.

Mr. Saints said he had not heard members were having problems with late, tired employees or mysteriously "sick" employees.

However, not all employees have been quite so scrupulous. One football fan, who wished to remain anonymous, has found the early times all a bit confusing.

He told The Royal Gazette: "I got the times mixed up this morning. I wanted to see Portugal which I assumed was the first match but was very disappointed at 3.30 a.m. when I turned on my TV and it was the Russian game, had to go back to bed to get up at 6 a.m. again.

"I am not sure if I had any sleep in between. Then I watched the Ireland game and got to work nearly two hours late, at 10.45.

"My secret to getting up early is cracking open a bottle of wine as soon as I get in at night to get to sleep early."

Staying up a late can have a knock-on affect on other's sleep when the excitement grows.

England fan Matt Clarke, 27, said: "I don't think the neighbours understand how much it means to watch. We have had complaints about the noise.

"I just hope Bermuda gets to host the World Cup, although I am not sure how they would cope with some of the local pitches."

He admitted the Italians might struggle to get in to their natural passing game on the notoriously bumpy pitch Shelly Bay Two.

He added: "When they fell over they might be booked for diving when really they have just hit one of the divots."

For MR Onions manageress Lori Talbot the World Cup usually means booming business but restrictive licensing laws have meant pubs can only screen the later games live, which kick off at 8.30 a.m., and even then booze, often necessary to calm the nerves of anxious fans, is banned until 9 a.m.

However she said: "Most of our customers are understanding about it and don't come in asking for Guinness. Most just want a coffee and a juice at that time."

With a Portuguese mum and American father, she was torn during USA's shock defeat of the Mediterranean side yesterday.

But she also roots for other sides: "When England play, the atmosphere is so great here even if you are working. I don't know why people would watch it at home."

Travelling to Canada didn't help the Vasco club who had to get up an hour earlier to see their Portuguese heroes doomed opener against the USA.

Club secretary Paul Fortuna said he was shocked at the result.

Pal Tony DaCosta said unGodly hours wouldn't stop the hardened fan. "They will get up at three o'clock or five o'clock. It doesn't matter for anyone who loves soccer."