Where can I watch the Fifa World Cup from in London?
Book your tables and pre-order those booze towers because the World Cup is here – for more than a month – and Morning Wire has you covered. Here are the sport desk’s top nine non-traditional spots to enjoy the footie from.
Brigadiers
The City staple is an ideal place for those early 8pm kick-offs. Its Indian grill menu will be served throughout the tournament with private rooms available, but its Match Day Feast – featuring Butter Chicken Royale, Afghani Lamb Ribeye and Achari Beef Short Rib – looks like the one for us.
Box sports bar
Soho’s mega sports bar, split over three floors, has garnered a reputation as one of central London’s go-to spots. And tomorrow – on the eve of the tournament – an orchestra will be present to play World Cup classics ahead of England’s final warm-up match.
The Steel Yard
The City space will be showing a big number of the World Cup matches this year. Near Cannon Street, The Steel Yard is hosting a free ticket fan zone for the match against Ghana while there are further plans for subsequent games as well.
Pizza Pilgrims
One of the capital’s top pizza spots, Pizza Pilgrims, is turning a number of their establishments into watch bars during the World Cup. Across the likes of Hyde Park, Canary Wharf and elsewhere the chain founded by Thom and James Elliot in London has brought back its American pizza, featuring a white base topped with sliced hot dogs and fries. Delicious.
Locke Hotels
It may be a little bit of an odd inclusion in this list but Locke Hotels are holding watch parties across their locations in the City, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf. They’re appealing to those who want to avoid the overcrowded sports bar in favour of a different kind of match day viewing. It could be a good decision, too, given working air conditioning is more likely there than in a pub!
Kerb Sports Bar
This Shoreditch spot combines a traditional food and drink offering with pub games. It is likely to attract the younger groups as traditional fans opt for the old-school boozers.
Market Halls
Market Halls will be screening every match across its venues in Paddington, Victoria, Oxford Circus and Canary Wharf with a number of packages that include bottomless drinks and merch.
Bloodsports
Bloodsports has quickly become one of the top haunts for the Morning Wire sport desk, with its Covent Garden location and Turbo Lagerita a lethal combination. With Meat Liquor food, this has flown under the radar over the last year.
Hound and Co
The Ardent Pub Group’s Hound, George and Cadogan Arms have teamed up with the David de Rothschild-founded Lost Explorer to provide cocktails at their establishments. We said we wouldn’t list traditional pubs but these are so far the other way that they merit inclusion.
Broadcaster
This site near Westfield White City covers multiple floors – including a roof terrace – and will be open for the earlier kick offs during this Fifa World Cup. It’s a staple of Wood Lane and dangerously close to the local Soho House – and there will be a fan zone for the three England matches, too.
The ‘woods
The capital is dotted with Redwood, Goldwood, Greenwood and the rest. These are classic, no-nonsense sports bars that’ll cater for everyone’s needs and have activations throughout the tournament.
Flat Iron Square
Flat Iron Square has managed to make itself one of the most desirable sites to watch live football in the capital. The Borough spot has been selling tickets for its games and they’re flying. England games start from £20.
The Side Hustle
A new one for the City, The Side Hustle opened last week in St Paul’s and is giving away free pints lager on Thursday. “We wanted to create a sports bar for a new generation of fans, one that feels as much about the atmosphere, the people and the night out as it does about the game itself,” a spokesperson said.
Hippodrome
We couldn’t not include Leicester Square’s Hippodrome casino, given it will be one of the few spots showing the 2am matches. Morning Wire hears the kitchen will be serving food until 4am.
De Hems
Surely you’ve got to experience a match involving nations other than your own and De Hems in central London could be a must-do to watch the Netherlands. It is known for its European beers and bratwurst – what more could you want as you consume a no-stakes World Cup game?