London will be at the centre of the football action once again in June 2020 as the European Championships celebrate their 60th year. With matches being played in various venues across the continent, Euro 2020 promises to be a memorable one! London will be hosting several games, including the final, to be held at Wembley Stadium (where else?) on the 12th July. The UEFA Festival will bring together the city’s diverse communities, showcasing the best of London’s culture, creativity and entertainment – all united by their shared love of football. Here are our London guide’s favourite places to watch the beautiful game…
Multiple screens upstairs, a monster screen downstairs, an excellent beer and cocktail selection and the light-hearted South American theme make Bar Kick one of the best places in North London to watch the footie. They also have fooseball tables, which come in handy at half time, a football friendly menu (think easy to eat, man food such as burgers and hot dogs) and, maybe most importantly of all, happy hour runs from 4-7pm every day.
Address: 127 Shoreditch High St, Hackney, E1 6JE
If you’re in Central London, you can’t go wrong with Rileys Sports Bar, close to Theatreland and Picadilly. Rileys boasts a whopping 34 screens and a host of traditional bar activities to keep you amused before and after the game, such as ping pong, darts and 5 pool tables (see main photo above). They also have a VIP area if you fancy taking your football watching to the next level. Classic dishes such as burgers, sourdough pizzas and nachos and wings are all available alongside an impressive selection of craft beers.
Address: 80 Haymarket, St. James’s, SW1Y 4TE
If there was a list of the top 10 British things to do, we think ‘watching football at the pub’ would have to be at least number 5 on the list! One of our favourite pubs in the city to enjoy this ‘oh so British’ experience is the Faltering Full Back near Finsbury Park in North London. Their stunning beer garden is our favourite in the whole city and the interior is very old world with lots of old antiques and vintage prints dotting the walls. The menu is anything but traditional though, offering Thai dishes to go alongside your pint of beer (or Guinness, this is an Irish pub after all!). And of course there’s a big screen for you and your mates to watch all the Euro 2020 action on.
Address: 19 Perth Rd, Stroud Green, N4 3HB
This is an unusual one but stick with us if you’re looking for your football with a side of quirk and old school grandeur. The Clapham Grand is an old music hall in south west London that’s re-invented itself as an entertainment space that offers regular club nights, eclectic music, comedy and of course, live sports. If you watch the football here, you can tick 2 British traditions off your bucket list – watch football and visit a traditional music hall.
Address: 21-25 St John’s Hill, SW11 1TT
Address: 59 Camberwell Rd, SE5 0EZ
Trendy brewery with an industrial vibe, everything they serve at the Long Arm Pub & Brewery is brewed on site, unfiltered, unrefined, and served straight from tank to glass. They have two giant state of the art projectors that broadcast live sports events, plus lots more screens dotted around the building, so you’re guaranteed not to miss any of the action. Burgers, meat and vegan platters and bar snacks mean you won’t go hungry either.
Address: 20-26 Worship St, Finsbury, EC2A 2DX
In the heart of the capital, this pretty park is next to the River Thames and offers stunning views of Tower Bridge. It’s also played host to many live music and sports events over the years. This June, it’ll be the site of UEFA’s official Football Village, where fans will be able to go to watch all the Euro 2020 action on big screens. There’ll be plenty of entertainment, activities, street food and drink to keep everyone amused. It’s also only a 5 minute stroll from the HMS Belfast, a 9-deck WWII warship-turned-museum with naval guns, permanently moored on the Thames.
Address: 165 Tower Bridge Rd, SE1 3LW