WHAT a time to be an English football fan.

Our first World Cup semi-final in 28 years kicks off tonight against Croatia and there is a genuine belief our team could lift the trophy on Sunday.

So spare a thought for 47-year-old England supporter Chris Briscoe, who has found himself in the sticky situation of marrying partner Jo while the Three Lions could be on their way to glory in the Russian capital of Moscow.

The happy couple will be walking down the aisle at 2pm at the Hilton Metropole on Brighton seafront – just two hours before the big game.

Chris said: “As the World Cup has been progressing, I have been getting more and more worried. We’ll see what happens against Croatia.

“We chose the date more than a year ago. It would usually be a safe bet to choose your wedding date on the same day of the World Cup final as an England fan, but now it isn’t.

“Getting married is a once in a lifetime thing – and so is England reaching the World Cup final.”

The ceremony will finish at 2.30pm but for the first half of the match wedding goers are pencilled in to be going to the beach to get some pictures in the sun.

And as the players will be heading back into the dressing rooms at half-time, Chris, Jo and their 50 guests will be sitting down to feast on their dinner.

Then, as the teams do battle in the second half an Ali G impersonator is due to entertain the wedding party.

Unfortunately for Chris, Jo, 46, is not as keen on football as he is so will not be too bothered about being able to watch the game.

But Chris, from Surrey, has been thinking of some plans to put in place so he can catch some of the action.

He said: “We are making some arrangements should we get to the final.

“I’m thinking about setting my laptop up in one of the other rooms so I can go in and out to watch the game.”

Chris and Jo met at a chess club run by her father and have been together for three-and-a-half years.

They now both teach chess in schools – but one passion they do not share is football.

Chris said: “Jo doesn’t like sport.

“When England were playing Belgium we watched it in a bar with some friends who are coming to the wedding.

“I was watching the match but she was playing with puzzles instead.”

He added that Jo “does understand” Chris and some wedding guests will want to tune in on Sunday, so has been working on a rescue plan with her husband-to-be.

Like every England fan at the moment, Chris is on Cloud Nine.

He is pinching himself that England are on the verge of something magical.

Chris said: “We are so used to disappointment at every single European Championships or World Cup. This time it just gets more and more surreal with each match.”

Before Chris gets too worried, though, England need to overcome Croatia tonight at 7pm.