The biggest football tournament on the planet kicks off on 11 June and with England’s group games starting at a civilised evening time, London’s bars and fan zones are pulling out all the stops.
For millions of fans priced out of the tournament itself, reports suggest following England through just the group stage could cost close to several thousands of pounds, these places have never felt more important.
Professor Sally Everett of King’s College London put it plainly in a recent interview, saying: “There is something problematic here in the idea of value.
“You are actually shifting from fans of a World Cup, to high-value visitors that the destination is after.”
Back home in London, the experience is shaping up to be something else entirely. These are 10 venues already making plans.
1. BOXPARK Wembley
Where: Olympic Way, Wembley, HA9 0JH
Boxpark has officially opened ticket sales for its FIFA World Cup 2026 screenings, positioning itself as the “Home of the Fan” across all of its London venues; Wembley, Shoreditch, Croydon and Camden.
The headline act is the new Director’s Box at Wembley – a premium upstairs space with a private bar, dedicated sound system and toilets, seating for 130 and standing room for a further 220.
The screens are 4K and the audio-visual setup has been engineered specifically for the tournament.
On the question of late-night fixtures, with some games kicking off past 1am BST, a Boxpark spokesperson explained the unusual hours were part of the appeal rather than a problem.
They said: “The late-night fixtures have a unique appeal because they create a sense of occasion.
“Fans know they’re part of something, whether that’s staying up into the early hours with friends or sharing the experience with fellow supporters.”
Boxpark is working through licensing to keep venues open for as many of those fixtures as possible.
For England games, book as early as you can via Boxpark’s website.
2. Big Penny Social
Where: Blackhorse Lane, Walthamstow, E17 6DS
There’s no better place to watch the footie in east London, according to TimeOut, and Big Penny Social would be “hard pushed to disagree.”
The vast warehouse beer hall in Walthamstow holds over 1,200 fans across three giant screens, with live entertainment from DJs and bands before and after each match, and for the biggest games, special effects and surprises built into the programme.
It has a full food kitchen running throughout, meaning there’s no reason to leave between kick-off and the final whistle.
What separates it from the central London fan zones, according to founder Michael-George Hemus, is what it feels like on the ground.
He said: “While London has some fantastic fan zones, there’s something special about watching football in a local venue where you recognise familiar faces and share the experience with your neighbours and friends.”
Whether you arrive with a group or come alone, the size of the crowd and the fact that many of them are regulars, creates something closer to a home crowd than a hired hall.
Tickets for England’s group stage games are priced at £12 and already on sale.
Buying one gets you priority access to knockout round tickets when they’re released.
Book via the Big Penny Social website.
3. The Clapham Grand
Where: 21 St John’s Hill, Clapham Junction, SW11 1TT
A former Victorian variety theatre, The Clapham Grand has quietly become one of London’s best World Cup destinations.
It was showing England games before most other venues thought to try and or 2026, it is screening every England match on a 25ft screen.
There will also be additional screens across the venue, along with live music, DJs, and classic England game highlight packages before each kick-off.
Seated, standing and tabled options are all available to book via the Clapham Grand website.
4. Belushi’s (London Bridge and Shepherds Bush)
Where: London Bridge, SE1 / Shepherd’s Bush, W12
Belushi’s has now hosted World Cup screenings across eight tournaments. For 2026, its London Bridge and Shepherd’s Bush venues have been set up specifically for the competition.
Giant HD screens, stadium-grade sound systems and an international crowd that reflects London itself will see Argentinians, Brazilians, and a few hundred English fans all in the same room.
Private and semi-private rooms are available for group hire, with a dedicated World Cup booking hub on their website.
They are also running a Loyalty Pass for fans planning to use one venue as their base for the entire tournament.
Book via the Belushi’s World Cup website.
5. BLOODsports
Where: 27-29 Endell Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9BA
From the founder of MEATliquor, BLOODsports is the most characterful sports bar in central London – a windowless underground den lit by red neon, open until 2am daily.
It has over 30 HD screens arranged so that there is genuinely not a bad seat in the house.
The late licence makes it uniquely well-suited to the 2026 World Cup, with some games kicking off at 1am BST.
When the football finishes, the screens switch to cult horror films. TimeOut ranks it among the best bars in Covent Garden and London.
Tickets can be booked here.
6. TOCA Social at the O2
Where: Peninsula Square, Greenwich, SE10 0DX (also at Westfield White City)
TOCA Social is screening every single match of the 2026 World Cup at its venues at The O2 and Westfield White City.
The setup includes private boxes for groups, table bookings for the main bar, and standing tickets from £5.50, including a drink.
What separates TOCA from a standard bar is the interactivity as football games, challenges and DJs run throughout the tournament, making it a full day out rather than just a screening.
It is one of very few London venues publicly committed to showing every fixture, not just England games.
Book avia the TOCA Social website.
7. German Kraft Brewery at Mercato Metropolitano
Where: 42 Newington Causeway, Elephant and Castle, SE1 6DR
This venue has free entry, a 20 square metre screen, 50-plus food stalls from the surrounding food market – and, most importantly, 10 free pints paid out after every England or Germany goal.
German Kraft Brewery at Mercato Metropolitano is London’s best-value World Cup venue by some distance.
There is no booking system, you simply turn up – but make sure you are there early for England matches.
8. Kick Off Club: Outernet London, Electric Brixton and Colour Factory
Where: Denmark Street, WC2 / Brixton, SW9 / Fish Island, E3
Three of London’s premier nightclubs are being transformed into immersive World Cup fan zones for the tournament.
The Kick Off Club is taking over Outernet London, near Tottenham Court Road, Electric Brixton and the Colour Factory in Hackney Wick, each with a distinct theme.
If you want your World Cup to feel less like a pub and more like a summer party, this is the option for you.
Book via the Kick Off Club website.
9. De Hems Dutch Café Bar
Where: 11 Macclesfield Street, Soho, W1D 5BW
Soho’s De Hems has a sports-mad history that predates the modern sports bar concept entirely.
Indeed, it has been a meeting point for Dutch fans in London for decades.
For 2026, it is screening matches across its big screens, serving Belgian and Dutch beers alongside proper Dutch bar snacks such as bitterballen and frites.
It is the right place to go if you want something with genuine atmosphere rather than a corporate fan zone.
Book via the De Hems website.
10. The Star, Shoreditch
Where: 2 Star Yard, Shoreditch, EC2A (off Great Eastern Street)
For fans who want to watch outside, The Star in Shoreditch has set up multiple screens on a covered terrace for the tournament.
It combines the atmosphere of a fan zone with a full bar behind it and, given England’s 9pm and 10pm kick-off times, a warm summer evening on the terrace is a genuinely appealing prospect.
It is the best outdoor option in east London for the group stage at least.
Book via The Star’s website.
England’s 2026 World Cup group stage fixtures
| Match | Date | Kick-off (BST) | Venue |
| England vs Croatia | Wednesday 17 June | 9:00pm | AT&T Stadium, Dallas, Texas |
| England vs Ghana | Tuesday 23 June | 9:00pm | Gillette Stadium, Boston, Massachusetts |
| Panama vs England | Saturday 27 June | 10:00pm | MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey |
Feature image: Free to use from Rawpixel
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