Your Alternative World Cup Diary
What you can do to avoid watching the football!
Select a match date or scroll down to browse listings.
Red text = Match Day
Green text = Not a match day but we thought we'd give you something to do anyway!
July 2006
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June 9
Match to avoid:
Group A matches - Germany V Costa Rica and Poland V Ecuador
Instead why don't you...
Go to the Download festival at Donington Park - a 3-day rock festival with Guns N Roses and Metallica headlining. For more information visit: www.downloadfestival.co.uk
June 10
Match to avoid:
Group B matches - England V Paraguay and Trinidad & Tobago V Sweden
Group C match - Argentina V Ivory Coast
Instead why don't you...
Go and see Bon Jovi at Milton Keynes, this was supposed to be the first gig at the new Wembley Stadium, but hey!! See www.bonjovi.com or www.thenationalbowl.net for more details.
Or...
Take part in the World Naked Bike Ride, held at different locations in the UK and worldwide to protest against dependency and car culture. See www.worldnakedbikeride.org for details.
June 11
Match to avoid:
Group C match - Serbia & Montenegro V Holland
Group D matches - Mexico V Iran and Angola V Portugal
Instead why don't you...
Take part in the Edinburgh Marathon, Scotland. 15,000 runners are expected to take part in this 26.2 mile race. See www.edinburgh-marathon.co.uk for details.
Or...
Go to watch the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Northants. See Silverstone-circuit.co.uk for details.
June 12
Match to avoid:
Group E matches - USA V Czech Republic and Italy V Ghana
Group F match - Australia V Japan
Instead why don't you...
Go to watch the Reduced Shakespeare Company: Hollywood Abridged at The Gordon Craig Theatre Stevenage. See www.stevenage-leisure.co.uk/gordoncraig or www.reducedshakespeare.co.uk for details.
June 13
Match to avoid:
Group F match - Brazil V Croatia
Group G matches - South Korea V Togo and France V Switzerland
Instead why don't you...
Hop across the pond and take part in New York's biggest block party as part of the 28th Annual Museum Mile Festival. All the museums along 5th Avenue offer free entry, there will also be street entertainers and much more along this famous street. See museummilefestival.org for details.
June 14
Match to avoid:
Group H matches - Spain V Ukraine and Tunisia V Saudi Arabia
Group A match - Germany V Poland
Instead why don't you...
Attend BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the Birmingham NEC. This event runs until June 18 and includes expert advice, show gardens, floral marquee, rose gardens and shopping. See www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com for details.
June 15
Match to avoid:
Group A match - Ecuador V Costa Rica
Group B matches - England V Trinidad & Tobago and Sweden V Paraguay
Instead why don't you...
Go to see Al Murray on his '....AND ANOTHER THING' TOUR at the Cambridge Corn Exchange. The Guv'nor is back with his fantastic show and he's even more opinionated than ever. For more details see www.cornex.co.uk
June 16
Match to avoid:
Group C matches - Argentina V Serbia & Montenegro and Holland V Ivory Coast
Group D match - Mexico V Angola
Instead why don't you...
Go to see 'I’m an Ntertainer Get Me Outta Here' at the Harlow Playhouse. With a cast of over 200 performers of all ages. Dance, drama, comedy, it’s all here in this play about a plane crashing on a remote island. See www.playhouseharlow.com for details.
June 17
Match to avoid:
Group D match - Portugal V Iran
Group E matches - Italy V USA and Czech Republic V Ghana
Instead why don't you...
Go to see the Foo Fighters play live at Hyde Park, London. The best band in the world play to a sell-out crowd supported by Motorhead and Queens Of The Stone Age. See www.foofighters.com for details.
Or...
Go to see The Eagles at Twickenham, Surrey. The Eagles will be performing songs from their vast back catalogue.
June 18
Match to avoid:
Group F matches - Japan V Croatia and Brazil V Australia
Group G match - France V South Korea
Instead why don't you...
Go to Truckfest at Driffield Showground, Yorkshire. A monster truck show for well...truck lovers! See www.truckfest.co.uk for details.
June 19
Match to avoid:
Group G match - Togo V Switzerland
Group H matches - Saudi Arabia V Ukraine and Spain V Tunisia
Instead why don't you...
Take part in National Insect Week. There are many special events being held across the country, log on to the website for local information: www.nationalinsectweek.co.uk
June 20
Match to avoid:
Group A matches - Ecuador V Germany and Cost Rica V Poland
Group B matches - Paraguay V Trinidad & Tobago and Sweden V England
Instead why don't you...
Bet on the horses at Royal Ascot in Berkshire. Back at its Berkshire home after being refurbished, all eyes will be on the home of racing for the next four days. See www.royalascot.co.uk for details.
Or...
Go to see 'A Touch of the Sun' at The Watford Palace Theatre. A West End hit in its original 1950s production, this is a sharply-written sketch of an unsettled society by N.C. Hunter. See www.watfordtheatre.co.uk for details.
June 21
Match to avoid:
Group C matches - Holland V Argentina and Ivory Coast V Serbia & Montenegro
Group D maches - Portugal V Mexico and Iran V Angola
Instead why don't you...
Take part in the 55th National Square Dance Convention, Texas, USA. San Antonio, Texas, will play host to fun and fellowship of dancers from around the world, so get your Stetson out. See www.55thnsdc.org for details.
June 22
Match to avoid:
Group E matches - Czech Republic V Italy and Ghana V USA
Group F matches - Japan V Brazil and Croatia V Australia
Instead why don't you...
Go to see the Rolling Stones in concert, Milan, Italy. They’re still going, so catch them while you can even if it means forking out for the air fare. See www.rollingstones.com for details.
June 23
Match to avoid:
Group G matches - Switzerland V South Korea and Togo V France
Group H matches - Ukraine V Tunisia and Saudi Arabia V Spain
Instead why don't you...
Go to VW Action Summer Festival at Uttoxeter Racecourse, Staffs. Volkswagon Campers, Beatles, Golfs, trade stands, entertainment and more! See www.vwaction.co.uk for more details.
June 24
Match to avoid:
Winner of Group A V Runner up of Group B
Winner of Group C V Runner up of Group D
Instead why don't you...
Attend the Bedfordshire Medieval Fayre. This two day event offers medieval fayre, complete with medieval traders and craftsmen, plus falconry, archery demonstrations, and artillery demonstrations. The day culminates in a very nasty and potentially deadly Battle, as the seasoned troops of the Medieval Siege Society re-create the Battle of Northampton from 1460. See www.medieval-fayre.co.uk for details.
June 25
Match to avoid:
Winner of Group D V Runner up of Group C
Winner of Group B V Runner up of Group A
Instead why don't you...
Go to see Take That perform live at Milton Keynes Bowl. Ten years after they split the boys are back (hopefully for good), originally to perform at the new Wembley, but it wasn’t built in time! See www.thenationalbowl.net for details.
June 26
Match to avoid:
Winner of Group E V Runner up of Group F
Winner of Group G V Runner up of Group H
Instead why don't you...
Go for a ride on the Brighton Murder Onboard the Orient Express. Step back in time and enjoy the splendours of Brighton's Royal Pavilion. With Brunch on outward journey, and four course lunch on return journey. See www.orient-express.com for details.
June 27
Match to avoid:
Winner of Group F V Runner up of Group E
Winner of Group H V Runner up of Group G
Instead why don't you...
Go to see Elton John at the Nottingham Arena. With so many classic hits, if football isn’t your thing then surely this will be. See www.nottingham-arena.com for details.
June 28
Match to avoid:
There's no matches today but don't just sit around the house...
Instead why don't you...
Go to watch the Henley Royal Regatta, Oxfordshire. Four days of rowing events, champagne, pimms, strawberries and cream and fit rowers! See www.hrr.co.uk for details.
June 29
Match to avoid:
There's no matches today but don't just sit around the house...
Instead why don't you...
Go to watch 'That’ll Be the Day' at the Cambridge Corn Exchange. The UK’s favourite rock ‘n’ roll show returns with over 100 hits from the 50s, 60s and 70s, chosen through the That’ll Be The Day website. See www.cornex.co.uk and thatllbetheday.com for details.
June 30
Match to avoid:
1st & 2nd Quarter Final matches
Instead why don't you...
Go to the cinema to watch Superman Returns as it is released today! Starring Brandon Routh in the lead role, but will he be as good as Christopher Reeve? See supermanreturns.warnerbros.com for more info on the movie.
July 1
Match to avoid:
3rd & 4th Quarter Final matches
Instead why don't you...
Take part in the Wife Carrying World Championships in Finland. A bizarre one here, but if you fancy entering there are a few rules this being one of them: the wife to be carried may be your own, the neighbour’s or you may have found her farther afield; she must, however, be over 17-years-old. See www.sonkajarvi.fi/?deptid=15136 for more details!
July 2
Match to avoid:
There's no matches today but don't just sit around the house...
Instead why don't you...
Watch the Sprite Urban Games on Clapham Common, London. If BMX/skateboarding/DJ’s and bars are your thing then go to the Common and watch the spectacular displays from the riders on all sorts of complicated and dangerous courses. See www.spriteurbangames.com for details.
July 3
Match to avoid:
There's no matches today but don't just sit around the house...
Instead why don't you...
Go to The Royal Show at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. The Royal Show celebrates all aspects of farming and rural life, from the best of British livestock to the latest business and technological innovations in the farming industry. For details see www.royalshow.org.uk
Or...
Go to see 'The Boy Friend' at the Queen Mother Theatre in Hitchin. Sandy Wilson's West End musical hit set on the French Riviera in the 1920s, The Boy Friend remains a popular light and bubbly divertissement of song and dance set in an idealised and glamorous place and time. See www.queenmothertheatre.org.uk for details.
July 4
Match to avoid:
1st Semi Final match
Instead why don't you...
Go to watch the Independence day parade in Washington DC, USA. Held in America’s capital city there are events all day as well as the famous parade. See www.july4thparade.com for details.
July 5
Match to avoid:
2nd Semi Final match
Instead why don't you...
Go to see Coldplay perform live at the Entertainment Centre in Adelaide, Australia. The love ‘em or hate ‘em band will be in oz, so if you feel like escaping the World Cup and don’t mind travelling thousands of miles, this could be for you! See www.coldplay.com for details.
July 6
Match to avoid:
There's no matches today but don't just sit around the house...
Instead why don't you...
Go to the Robbie Williams concert in Parken Stadium, Denmark. If you’ve got the money splash out on a night to remember in Copenhagen! See www.robbiewilliams.com for details.
July 7
Match to avoid:
There's no matches today but don't just sit around the house...
Instead why don't you...
Go to the movies and see the newly released 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest'. Johnny, Keira and Orlando are back for another swashbuckling adventure! See www.disney.go.com/disneypictures/pirates/ for details.
Or...
Attend Elvisfest in Michigan, USA. With tribute acts, memorabilia, cars, food and fun for all the family what better place to escape to? See www.mielvisfest.org for details.
July 8
Match to avoid:
Third place play-off match
Instead why don't you...
Go running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. If you’re feeling energetic (or mad) why not try your luck and run with the bulls!
Or...
Go to see Jo Brand Live at The Alban Arena in St Albans. See funny woman Jo doing her stand up – hecklers beware! See www.alban-arena.co.uk for details.
July 9
Match to avoid:
It's the final!
Instead why don't you...
Spend the last day of the world cup watching the last day of the men’s singles tournament at Wimbledon in London! The other final to be held today as long as rain doesn’t delay play, who will take Roger Federer’s title? See www.wimbledon.org for details.