It seems parents in the UK are preparing for a big Wednesday night, and potentially a hazy Thursday morning, with babysitting apps like bubble seeing a spike in bookings.

bubble has reported a huge spike in activity ahead of England’s World Cup semi-final match against Croatia, with bookings for Wednesday night having surged by more than 100% since Saturday’s win over Sweden, while the number of sitters being called in to lend parents a hand on Thursday morning are up by almost 50%.

Babysitting app: Bubble

‘Parents are preparing for a loud, tense and emotional evening on Wednesday, and that’s just the typical bath and bed-time routine!’ said father of three, and bubble co-founder, Ari Last.

‘By the time England kick-off, we’re likely to be shattered already, which is why having a great sitter on-hand is proving vital for mums and dads who want to enjoy the match.

‘Thursday morning bookings are also up by almost half of what we typically see, which perhaps reflects the general optimism levels about England’s chances against Croatia,’ he said.

‘Many parents are anticipating a night of celebration and are taking a lead out of Gareth Southgate’s playbook by displaying meticulous preparation for what lies ahead.’

bubble is an on-demand childcare app that allows parents to find, book and pay local, recommended babysitters. The app has over 50,000 users in the UK and was voted by Apple as one of its Apps of the Year in 2017.

For more information see joinbubble.com