Best Bars to Watch Games: Where to Catch the Action in Major Cities

When you’re looking for the best bars to watch games, it’s not just about the TV size or the beer selection—it’s about the energy, the crowd, and whether you can actually hear the final whistle. These aren’t just places with screens. They’re where locals gather, where the atmosphere flips the moment the kickoff happens, and where you don’t have to shout to be heard over the roar. A good sports bar isn’t defined by its neon signs—it’s defined by the way the room holds its breath before a penalty kick, or explodes when the buzzer sounds.

Places like sports bars, venues built around live sporting events with communal viewing and themed drinks in London have become cultural hubs—especially during Premier League matches, rugby internationals, or boxing title fights. You’ll find them tucked into neighborhoods like Shoreditch or Camden, not just near stadiums. In Milan, you’ll spot fans in jerseys sipping Aperol spritzes before a Serie A game, while Berlin’s underground pubs turn into loud, passionate arenas for Bundesliga nights. These spots don’t just show the game—they celebrate it. You’ll also find football pubs, local institutions where match day is a ritual, not just an event that have been around for decades, where the same regulars know the waiters by name and the bartender remembers your usual order. And if you’re into rugby, rugby venues, bars that cater specifically to rugby fans with team-specific decor and match-day traditions in London’s South Bank or Manchester’s city center offer a different kind of intensity—more chant, less noise, and a deep sense of community.

What makes these places stand out isn’t the price of a pint or how many screens they have. It’s the authenticity. The bar that plays the national anthem before a big match. The one where the owner brings out free snacks when the home team is winning. The spot where strangers high-five after a last-minute goal. These aren’t just places to drink—they’re where memories are made. And if you’ve ever watched a game alone in your living room, you know what you’re missing.

Below, you’ll find real recommendations from cities where the nightlife doesn’t stop when the game ends. Whether you’re in London, Milan, or Berlin, the posts here point you to the exact bars where the crowd is loud, the drinks are cold, and the result actually matters. No fluff. No tourist traps. Just the places where the real fans go.