Regularly named as the ‘sporting capital of the world’, London boasts 13 professional football teams, 22 football stadiums, as well as the UK’s biggest rugby stadium (Twickenham) and cricket ground (Lords). Wembley Stadium also hosts some of the world’s biggest fight nights. What we’re trying to say is that, if you’re looking to watch live sport in the capital, your needs are well and truly served.
Indeed, Londoners are well known for their immense passion for a whole host of sports. For the city’s residents, watching a game is not just a pastime — for many, it’s a lifestyle. And this lifestyle isn’t only housed in the city’s stadiums; you’ll also find passion spilling out onto the streets and into the pubs and bars of London.
Here, beers, banter and betting all rub shoulders, with friends made and rivalries cemented. When it’s good, there’s no better feeling in the world than watching sports in a London boozer.
If you’re keen to soak up this unique, one-of-a-kind atmosphere (responsibly, of course), then here’s where to do it; the best bars to watch sport in London.
The Dugout at Belushi’s, London Bridge
Ideal for private viewing with your mates and proper American bar food classics…
The continental-wide sports bar chain Belushi’s has six venues across London, all devoted to selling affordable beer and projecting sports onto its big screens. But it’s in their dedicated Dugout in London Bridge that the finest sports viewing experience can be found.
Here, you get your own private booth, complete with a TV showing the game. The best thing about this? You don’t have to spend the whole evening tediously trying to explain the rules to novices. The venue’s superb American comfort food makes for the perfect accompaniment to the action — think Philly cheesesteak subs, stacks of chicken wings in every flavour imaginable, loaded nachos, and proper juicy burgers that’ll soak up all that beer.
Alternatively, Belushi’s in Camden Town is another great venue for watching sports in London. Though perhaps more famous for its regular rotating roster of live music offering, the venue also has private booths and its boisterous, always buzzing ‘Cavern’ area, with a huge projector and the latest games broadcast pretty much every moment the doors are open and the pints being poured.
Website: belushis.com
Address: 161 Borough High St, London SE1 1HR
The Lyric, Soho
Ideal for intimate sports viewing with craft beer and casual conversation…
The Lyric is a decently-sized, homely pub that offers a great atmosphere for watching sports. This proper old school Victorian boozer, complete with wood panelling, a crackling fireplace, and beautiful etched glass, brings that authentic pub charm that’s increasingly hard to find in central London. With a couple of well-positioned TV screens, this lovely little pub is a haven for fans who enjoy watching the games, but also don’t mind indulging in some private chit-chats during the breaks.
The menu’s got something for everyone too — all the proper pub classics like fish and chips sit alongside a flame-grilled kebab section and American favourites including BBQ baby back pork ribs, butter fried chicken, and Caesar salad. It’s this mix of traditional and modern that makes The Lyric work so well.
This is also a great place to meet on a first date for a quick drink before heading onto a restaurant reservation – especially if both of you are really into sports. And, of course, aside from a plethora of drinks offered, The Lyric offers some of the best craft beers you can try.
Website: lyricsoho.co.uk
Address: 37 Great Windmill Street, W1D 7LT
Read: The best restaurants in Soho
Greenwood, Victoria
Ideal for serious sports fans who want multiple screens and sharing platters…
No matter which sport you’re into, Greenwood will most likely have you covered. With numerous screens spread across two stories of this amazing sports pub and kitchen — and with a dedicated timetable for various sports, games and matches, you’ll surely be able to find your crowd. And the best part is that if you happen to get peckish, you can try some of their finger-licking delicious meals, designed to be shared over sport.
When it comes to watching sports with friends, one thing’s for definite; wings are the thing to enjoy. As such, we particularly love Greenwood’s ‘Signature Meat Platter’ — house fried chicken, padron peppers, buffalo wings and burger pizza to share. The burger pizza is a proper mad creation featuring beef patty, house pickles, American cheese, bacon and burger sauce all on a pizza base. Oh, and if you’re watching the NFL Playoffs, you’ll definitely want to get your hands on this feast that’ll have your tastebuds screaming ‘touchdown’.
A word of warning; since Greenwood is such a popular destination for sports lovers, you will need to book a table ahead of time, or arrive early if you wish to snatch some of the best viewing spots.
Website: sportlondon.com
Address: 170 Victoria Street, Victoria, SW1E 5LB
Read: The best restaurants near London Victoria
The Volley, Old Street
Ideal for watching women’s and men’s matches alongside craft beer and natural wines…
Now here’s a breath of fresh air. The Volley, which is walk-in only, has carved out a brilliant niche in Old Street by actually showing women’s football and England women’s rugby team matches alongside the usual men’s matches — no need to beg them to put on the Lionesses or Women’s Super League games.
This craft beer haven serves up natural wines and properly good brews that put your average sports bar to shame. The staff genuinely care about making everyone feel welcome, whether you’re there for England women’s rugby or the latest Premier League drama.
Best of all? You can watch top-quality women’s sport without having to ask them to change the channel first. In a city where most sports bars are dominated by blokes shouting at the telly, The Volley feels like a proper game-changer.
Website: thevolleylondon.com
Address: 211 Old St, London EC1V 9NR
De Hems, Chinatown
Ideal for authentic ‘total football’ atmosphere…
De Hems is London’s only authentic Dutch pub, with a rich Dutch heritage to match. So, if you are looking for an authentic ‘total football’ experience and you don’t have the energy to head for Amsterdam and the iconic Johan Cruijff ArenA, then book a table here instead.
The craft beer selection here is properly impressive too, with a range that goes well beyond your typical pub offerings. Whether you’re after something hoppy, malty, or somewhere in between, De Hems has got you covered while you’re cheering on your team.
Aside from being able to experience all of this firsthand while watching your favourite sport and rooting your favourite team on, the atmosphere is genuinely authentic — you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a proper Dutch brown café right in the heart of London.
Website: dehemspub.co.uk
Address: 11 Macclesfield Street, W1D 5BW
The Porterhouse, Covent Garden
Ideal for multi-level sports viewing with craft beer and no gimmicks…
If you’re looking for a sports bar in London that has screens all around you with a seemingly endless list of sports being shown, then the Porterhouse is the right place for you. Live music, craft beer (the Porterhouse Red is excellent), great food including capable Sunday Roasts, and even better people are just some of the things you can expect to find here.
This towering Irish pub sprawls across 12 levels — yes, you read that right — and shows everything from football and rugby to Wimbledon. With 18 screens around the venue, no one misses a second of the action. They show all major sporting events, from football to tennis, but they really like to think of themselves as a rugby pub — and clearly their customers do too! The Six Nations tournament always brings a big crowd, creating an atmosphere that’s absolutely electric.
The live music adds another dimension entirely, with house bands playing rock and pop covers from the 60s through to the current day every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in their Basement Bar. Unlike some of the naff central London sports bars that force Carlsberg down your throat or charge silly entry fees, The Porterhouse keeps it real with proper atmosphere and no gimmicks.
Website: porterhouse.london
Address: 21-22 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7NA
The Maple Leaf, Covent Garden
Ideal for Canadian sports fans and ice hockey enthusiasts…
A second entry from the same road? IDEAL, you’re truly spoiling us with this Canadian pub, the best this side of the Cape Spear. The Maple Leaf in Covent Garden is a sports bar which displays its heritage for everyone to see. From the flags waving outside the venue to the poutine served within, this pub is loudly and proudly Canadian.
In terms of sports, this means that the country’s beloved ice hockey is broadcast live with enthusiasm, but the pub still makes room for plenty of CFL (the Canadian Football League) and the NFL action, too. In fact, the latter is as well represented as the former at the Maple Leaf, with live games shown weekly. Time to get stuck in!
Website: greeneking-pubs.co.uk
Address: The Maple Leaf, 41 Maiden Ln, London WC2E 7LJ
The Kings Sports Bar, Leicester Square
Ideal for 24/7 sports viewing and catching those early morning games…
Tucked away near Leicester Square inside The Empire Casino, The Kings Sports Bar is one of those rare 24/7 spots where you can catch everything from Premier League matches to random e-sports tournaments at 3am. Budweiser sponsors the place, so expect plenty of crisp lager alongside the action.
The beauty of The Kings is its sheer dedication to sport — if it’s happening somewhere in the world, they’re probably showing it. The American-style menu does the job nicely, and being smack in the middle of tourist central means it’s perfect when you need to convince non-football friends to join you for the big game.
Website: metropolitancasinos.com
Address: 5–6 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7NA
Beechwood Sports Pub & Kitchen, Shoreditch
Ideal for City workers wanting quality food, craft beer and sports after trading…
Right in the heart of the financial district, Beechwood knows exactly what City workers want after a brutal day of trading — cold beer, hot food, and sport on big screens. This sleek venue pulls off the tricky balance between looking smart enough for the suited crowd whilst keeping that proper pub atmosphere alive.
The food goes beyond your usual pub grub with gourmet burgers and sharing plates that won’t break the bank. Their craft beer selection is particularly impressive, mixing London breweries with international favourites. Plus, being so close to all the major stations means you can actually make it here for those early kick-offs without faff.
Website: sportlondon.com
Address: 1A Principal Pl, Worship St, London EC2A 2FA
Café Kick, Exmouth Market
Ideal for Continental football culture meets hipster vibes…
Football meets Continental class at this decidedly hip hangout. Draped in international football scarves and scattered with retro Formica tables, Café Kick brings a proper European café vibe to watching the beautiful game.
Here’s the mad thing — you can order a Sidecar cocktail during a Man United match and the barman won’t bat an eyelid. It’s probably the only sports bar in London where asking for a Pernod won’t get you laughed onto the street. In proper continental spirit they also have draft beer (Mahou), served in the traditional Spanish glass of 350ml. When there’s no match on, test your skills on the foosball tables (and no, spinning is absolutely not allowed).
Website: cafekick.co.uk
Address: 43 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QL
TOCA Social, The O2
Ideal for interactive football experiences and stag dos with a difference…
Right, this one’s a bit mad but brilliant — TOCA Social at The O2 isn’t your usual boozer. It’s the world’s first interactive football experience, which basically means you can watch the match then immediately go and boot some balls about yourself using fancy ball-tracking technology in private gaming booths.
Even if you think the interactive stuff sounds like a gimmick, they show all the major matches across the venue. The American-inspired menu is perfect for sharing (try the Lionel Mezzi cocktail — mezcal, yuzu, and lychee), and if you’re feeling flash, go for the massive Tocazade served in a rack of sports bottles.
Ideal for stag dos, work events, or just when you fancy combining watching football with actually playing it. Oh, and there’s a Willy Wonka-style dessert room for when the sugar cravings hit. Barmy? Yes. Fun? Absolutely.
Website: toca.social
Address: TOCA Social, The O2, Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX
Read: Where to eat near Shoreditch High Street Station
Bar Kick, Shoreditch
Ideal for Shoreditch sports viewing with multiple screens and foosball tables…
Spread across two floors in Shoreditch, this place has 12 4K screens that can show up to three matches at once — so no more arguments about which game to put on.
The menu hits all the right notes with proper burgers, chicken wings, and loaded fries that’ll soak up the beer nicely. Like its sister venue, there are foosball tables for when you need to work off your frustration at England’s penalty shoot-out performance. The crowd here knows their football and isn’t afraid to show it.
Website: urbanpubsandbars.com
Address: 127 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JE
Long Arm Sports Pub & Brewery, Shoreditch
Ideal for the fresh beer straight from tank to glass (and sports of course)…
Here’s something you don’t see every day — Long Arm in the City brews all their beer on-site, meaning what you’re drinking has literally gone straight from the tank to your glass. No middleman, no transport, just the freshest pint in London.
The venue’s got two massive projectors and screens dotted about, showing everything from Premier League matches to F1 racing. The industrial setup means you’re basically drinking surrounded by the brewing kit, which is pretty cool if you’re into that sort of thing.
Their beer selection changes regularly as they experiment with new brews, and the elevated pub grub pairs nicely with whatever they’ve got on tap. It’s eco-friendly too, though let’s be honest, you’re probably here for the fresh beer and the football.
Website: longarmpub.co.uk
Address: 20-26 Worship St, London EC2A 2DX
The Charlotte, Waterloo
Ideal for Victorian railway arch atmosphere with live music and DJ sets…
Set in a proper Victorian railway arch in Southwark, The Charlotte knows how to do sports viewing right. Run by the same team behind some cracking steak restaurants, expect seriously good wings, ribs, and burgers — the kind of food that’s made for sharing over a pint whilst watching the match.
There are screens absolutely everywhere, so you’ll get a decent view whether you’re downstairs in the main bar, upstairs with the pool tables, or outside on their massive terrace. The sound system properly pumps, and being just off London Bridge means it’s easy to get to.
Bonus points for the Thursday live music and weekend DJ sets — so if your team loses, at least you can drown your sorrows with some proper tunes.
Website: thecharlottese1.com
Address: 204 Union Street, London SE1 0LX
Read: The best restaurants near London Waterloo
The Bottom Line
So there you have it — from traditional British boozers to mad interactive football experiences, Continental café vibes to freshly brewed pints, London’s got every type of sports bar you could want. Whether you’re in the City, Shoreditch, Covent Garden, or down at The O2, there’s always somewhere decent to catch the match.
Just remember to book ahead for the big games, get there early if you want the best seats, and most importantly, soak up that atmosphere that only comes from watching sport with a room full of fellow fans in one of the world’s greatest sporting cities. Because let’s face it — there’s nothing quite like celebrating a last-minute winner with complete strangers who suddenly become your best mates.
