The history of pubs in London can be traced back almost to when the city was first founded, with local watering holes popping up from Roman times onwards. That’s to say, we’ve had plenty of time to perfect the ideal boozer. Football doesn’t go quite as far back in the city’s history, but with 12 professional football clubs dotted around the capital in the top four leagues and many more in the lower reaches, the game is intrinsically woven into the fabric of the metropolis.
With the Champions League final returning to London and the EUROs gracing our screens this summer, pubs throughout the city will be filling up with fans looking to catch a glimpse of the action across a crowded bar. We sent photographer Nathan out on his bike to visit our team’s favourite spots for watching matches, so piecing together our ultimate starting 11 of football-focused boozers.
Almost certainly the coolest sports bar in London, football memorabilia from all over the world lines the walls of Café Kick. We love it for international games – it’s on a lovely London street though the vibe inside makes you feel like you’ve been transported to somewhere in Latin America.
“It’s worth the walk up the hill for Skehan’s,” insists Lizzie. “Both for the view over the city and for what is, in my opinion, one of the best pubs in London with a big screen for games. If you stick around after the game, you’ll probably end up Irish dancing with a stranger, because they have traditional live music most nights.”
There are ten screens for sports in this West London haunt, meaning you’ll get a good view no matter how busy it gets on 1 June. Come for the game, stay for the dartboard and friendly pub cat.
With a cavernous back room filled with seats and a giant projector, this Irish pub in north London was a common recommendation amongst our colleagues. “It’s probably best known as a place to watch the rugby, but it’s a great pub to watch sports in general,” says Faye. “You’re nearly always guaranteed a lively atmosphere – it gets bonus points for having a really nice beer garden, too.”
Ranald recommends this canalside venue as somewhere he’s watched plenty of big games over the years. There’s outdoor seating, food stalls and, most importantly, a giant screen. After the match, you could take a waterside wander and spot some houseboats on the canal.
Colleague Matt has been a regular at this Arsenal pub going back years. “Postcode-wise it’s a Gooner pub, but far away enough from the stadium so you get a mixed crowd and actual glasses rather than flimsy plastic cups,” he says. “It’s apparently the oldest pub in the area; there’s a few TVs so they’ll always have the football on.”
Aaryan favours this sports-bar-meets-pub right on Putney Bridge. “Pre-match, you can take a stroll along the Thames in Bishop’s Park right behind the pub. Once you’re in, you can enjoy a bit of pool with a pint while you wait for kick-off. There are lots of screens for a good view, and booths with their own mini-TVs. Plus, it’s pet-friendly!”
“A charming place to wet the whistle in the middle of Covent Garden,” says Marc. “A bit of a bolt-hole in the centre of town, where many pubs now lack personality. It gets quite rowdy (in a good way) on matchdays, so it’s worth a visit to soak up some atmosphere.”
Just a few minutes away from tourist-filled Borough Market, this is an “old-school boozer that still looks like it did 25 years ago,” notes colleague Joe. Despite its small stature and antique interior, it’s a proper football pub, with three big screens for watching the match.
Ollie, meanwhile, advocates for his local: “The landlord is a gent (and Arsenal fan!) and there’s always a very warm welcome from staff. It’s not an out-and-out sports pub, but there are plenty of TVs to watch the game, and a nice big beer garden out the back for catching the last of the sun.”
Two projector screens at either end of this pub mean you won’t miss a minute of the action – they claim to have the “biggest screen in Dalston”. The clientele can evince achingly East London-cool, but the atmosphere on big matchdays here is legendary.
We have to give an honourable mention to the Champions Journal team’s local. Even though it won’t be showing the game we love it all the same and it will be the perfect escape for anyone looking to avoid the football. You’ll find us here most Fridays (and Thursdays, and Wednesdays, and…).
The history of pubs in London can be traced back almost to when the city was first founded, with local watering holes popping up from Roman times onwards. That’s to say, we’ve had plenty of time to perfect the ideal boozer. Football doesn’t go quite as far back in the city’s history, but with 12 professional football clubs dotted around the capital in the top four leagues and many more in the lower reaches, the game is intrinsically woven into the fabric of the metropolis.
With the Champions League final returning to London and the EUROs gracing our screens this summer, pubs throughout the city will be filling up with fans looking to catch a glimpse of the action across a crowded bar. We sent photographer Nathan out on his bike to visit our team’s favourite spots for watching matches, so piecing together our ultimate starting 11 of football-focused boozers.
Almost certainly the coolest sports bar in London, football memorabilia from all over the world lines the walls of Café Kick. We love it for international games – it’s on a lovely London street though the vibe inside makes you feel like you’ve been transported to somewhere in Latin America.
“It’s worth the walk up the hill for Skehan’s,” insists Lizzie. “Both for the view over the city and for what is, in my opinion, one of the best pubs in London with a big screen for games. If you stick around after the game, you’ll probably end up Irish dancing with a stranger, because they have traditional live music most nights.”
There are ten screens for sports in this West London haunt, meaning you’ll get a good view no matter how busy it gets on 1 June. Come for the game, stay for the dartboard and friendly pub cat.
With a cavernous back room filled with seats and a giant projector, this Irish pub in north London was a common recommendation amongst our colleagues. “It’s probably best known as a place to watch the rugby, but it’s a great pub to watch sports in general,” says Faye. “You’re nearly always guaranteed a lively atmosphere – it gets bonus points for having a really nice beer garden, too.”
Ranald recommends this canalside venue as somewhere he’s watched plenty of big games over the years. There’s outdoor seating, food stalls and, most importantly, a giant screen. After the match, you could take a waterside wander and spot some houseboats on the canal.
Colleague Matt has been a regular at this Arsenal pub going back years. “Postcode-wise it’s a Gooner pub, but far away enough from the stadium so you get a mixed crowd and actual glasses rather than flimsy plastic cups,” he says. “It’s apparently the oldest pub in the area; there’s a few TVs so they’ll always have the football on.”
Aaryan favours this sports-bar-meets-pub right on Putney Bridge. “Pre-match, you can take a stroll along the Thames in Bishop’s Park right behind the pub. Once you’re in, you can enjoy a bit of pool with a pint while you wait for kick-off. There are lots of screens for a good view, and booths with their own mini-TVs. Plus, it’s pet-friendly!”
“A charming place to wet the whistle in the middle of Covent Garden,” says Marc. “A bit of a bolt-hole in the centre of town, where many pubs now lack personality. It gets quite rowdy (in a good way) on matchdays, so it’s worth a visit to soak up some atmosphere.”
Just a few minutes away from tourist-filled Borough Market, this is an “old-school boozer that still looks like it did 25 years ago,” notes colleague Joe. Despite its small stature and antique interior, it’s a proper football pub, with three big screens for watching the match.
Ollie, meanwhile, advocates for his local: “The landlord is a gent (and Arsenal fan!) and there’s always a very warm welcome from staff. It’s not an out-and-out sports pub, but there are plenty of TVs to watch the game, and a nice big beer garden out the back for catching the last of the sun.”
Two projector screens at either end of this pub mean you won’t miss a minute of the action – they claim to have the “biggest screen in Dalston”. The clientele can evince achingly East London-cool, but the atmosphere on big matchdays here is legendary.
We have to give an honourable mention to the Champions Journal team’s local. Even though it won’t be showing the game we love it all the same and it will be the perfect escape for anyone looking to avoid the football. You’ll find us here most Fridays (and Thursdays, and Wednesdays, and…).
The history of pubs in London can be traced back almost to when the city was first founded, with local watering holes popping up from Roman times onwards. That’s to say, we’ve had plenty of time to perfect the ideal boozer. Football doesn’t go quite as far back in the city’s history, but with 12 professional football clubs dotted around the capital in the top four leagues and many more in the lower reaches, the game is intrinsically woven into the fabric of the metropolis.
With the Champions League final returning to London and the EUROs gracing our screens this summer, pubs throughout the city will be filling up with fans looking to catch a glimpse of the action across a crowded bar. We sent photographer Nathan out on his bike to visit our team’s favourite spots for watching matches, so piecing together our ultimate starting 11 of football-focused boozers.
Almost certainly the coolest sports bar in London, football memorabilia from all over the world lines the walls of Café Kick. We love it for international games – it’s on a lovely London street though the vibe inside makes you feel like you’ve been transported to somewhere in Latin America.
“It’s worth the walk up the hill for Skehan’s,” insists Lizzie. “Both for the view over the city and for what is, in my opinion, one of the best pubs in London with a big screen for games. If you stick around after the game, you’ll probably end up Irish dancing with a stranger, because they have traditional live music most nights.”
There are ten screens for sports in this West London haunt, meaning you’ll get a good view no matter how busy it gets on 1 June. Come for the game, stay for the dartboard and friendly pub cat.
With a cavernous back room filled with seats and a giant projector, this Irish pub in north London was a common recommendation amongst our colleagues. “It’s probably best known as a place to watch the rugby, but it’s a great pub to watch sports in general,” says Faye. “You’re nearly always guaranteed a lively atmosphere – it gets bonus points for having a really nice beer garden, too.”
Ranald recommends this canalside venue as somewhere he’s watched plenty of big games over the years. There’s outdoor seating, food stalls and, most importantly, a giant screen. After the match, you could take a waterside wander and spot some houseboats on the canal.
Colleague Matt has been a regular at this Arsenal pub going back years. “Postcode-wise it’s a Gooner pub, but far away enough from the stadium so you get a mixed crowd and actual glasses rather than flimsy plastic cups,” he says. “It’s apparently the oldest pub in the area; there’s a few TVs so they’ll always have the football on.”
Aaryan favours this sports-bar-meets-pub right on Putney Bridge. “Pre-match, you can take a stroll along the Thames in Bishop’s Park right behind the pub. Once you’re in, you can enjoy a bit of pool with a pint while you wait for kick-off. There are lots of screens for a good view, and booths with their own mini-TVs. Plus, it’s pet-friendly!”
“A charming place to wet the whistle in the middle of Covent Garden,” says Marc. “A bit of a bolt-hole in the centre of town, where many pubs now lack personality. It gets quite rowdy (in a good way) on matchdays, so it’s worth a visit to soak up some atmosphere.”
Just a few minutes away from tourist-filled Borough Market, this is an “old-school boozer that still looks like it did 25 years ago,” notes colleague Joe. Despite its small stature and antique interior, it’s a proper football pub, with three big screens for watching the match.
Ollie, meanwhile, advocates for his local: “The landlord is a gent (and Arsenal fan!) and there’s always a very warm welcome from staff. It’s not an out-and-out sports pub, but there are plenty of TVs to watch the game, and a nice big beer garden out the back for catching the last of the sun.”
Two projector screens at either end of this pub mean you won’t miss a minute of the action – they claim to have the “biggest screen in Dalston”. The clientele can evince achingly East London-cool, but the atmosphere on big matchdays here is legendary.
We have to give an honourable mention to the Champions Journal team’s local. Even though it won’t be showing the game we love it all the same and it will be the perfect escape for anyone looking to avoid the football. You’ll find us here most Fridays (and Thursdays, and Wednesdays, and…).
