England’s Lionesses have fought their way to a face off with Spain in the Women’s World Cup final. The match is scheduled to kick-off at 11am BST today.
So far, the team have had an impressive campaign, making their way through the group stage games with wins against Haiti, Denmark and China, before scraping through against Nigeria thanks to a penalty shootout. And after the bookies’ favourites USA crashed out of the cup, England sat at the top of the oddsboard as the pick to win it all. Last week, they came from behind to beat Colombia in an utterly nerve-wracking match, before knocking out Australia in a Sydney semi-final.
With matches live from New Zealand and Australia, much of the action has been played at 6am — 11am UK time — meaning over the course of the tournament, we’ve been waking up to some of the results. These early starts mean not all the traditional pubs and restaurants have been showing all the matches, but we’ve got the definitive list of venues across town which are getting up in the name of the beautiful game.
Central
The Hercules Pillars, Covent Garden
This covent garden boozer located on great queen street couldn’t be more of a classic pub. Think lightly stained red carpets, burgundy banquettes and, as the name suggests, some faux greco-inspired pillars behind the bar. But forgive the slightly odd décor: the football is on.
18 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5DG, herculespillars.co.uk
Pavilion End, City
The self-styled “home of sport in the city” has special extended opening hours to ensure England’s early starts are not missed. The 10.30am kick off against Haiti and the 9.30am kick off against Denmark will both be available from the comfort of this charming Watling Street boozer.
23 Watling Street, EC4M 9BR, pavilionendpub.co.uk
Broadleaf Sports bar and Restaurant, City
The ETM group are live sport specialists and with venues dotted throughout London, you’d be hard pressed to find a more convenient spot to soak up the action. This city of London site is opening early to accommodate all the pre-noon kick-offs.
Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, EC2N 1HN, broadleaflondon.com
St Christopher’s Inn, London Bridge
This London bridge boozer has something of a rich history, dating back to London’s old coaching inns of the 18th century. Today you’re more likely to find a daily line up of live music, a happy hour ale of the day for just £3.60, and all of the women’s football matches shown live.
121 Borough High Street, Southwark, stchristopherspub.co.uk
Goldwood Sports Pub & Kitchen, City
One of the largest venues on the list, Goldwood near bank has a total 20 HD screens showing all of the world cup fixtures ensuring there isn’t a bad seat in the house. One of their expansive tellies is a whopping 100 inches, so you won’t miss a moment.
30 Old Jewry, EC2R 8DQ, goldwoodsportspub.com
The Three Tuns, Aldgate
With the early starts, the Three Tuns won’t be showing all the matches from New Zealand and Oz, but any kick offs after noon will be shown on one of the many screens. That means Ireland’s match against Canada on July 26 and England’s crucial fixture against China on August 1 are both on show here, along with all the other afternoon games.
36 Jewry Street, London EC3N 2ET greatukpubs.co.uk
North
The Beehive, Tottenham
This Tottenham pub is a classic live sports fixture with proximity to the stadium a key reason that football so readily permeates its walls. Should the weather hold, the outside terrace, with multiple screens lining the large sharing tables makes for a perfect summer spot.
Stoneleigh Road, N17 9JW, beehiven17.com
Boxpark, Croydon, Shoreditch & Wembley
Think world cup and often we think of huge crowds vaporising their drinks with each goal. Well, this year the revelry at Boxpark is geared to be a far more civilised affair; less beer throwing and more, what’s the word, enjoyment. There will be morning dance raves, flag making and an altogether more wholesome feel at the world cup tournament screening, with special activities for the little ones too.
99 George Street, CR0 1LD; Wembley Park, HA9 0JT; 2-10 Bethnal Greenn Road, E1 6GY, all boxpark.co.uk
Big Penny Social, Walthamstow
This expansive Walthamstow venue is set to showcase every one of the England women’s matches and rather charmingly lists the August 7 fixture with the Group D winner (which we all hope will be England) against the Group B runner up (most likely Australia) in cheerful anticipation.
1 Priestley Way, E17 6AL, bigpennysocial.co.uk
The Junction, Harrow
The Junction is a local favourite when it comes to screening the footy and has a well-earned reputation for live action. Early opening hours accommodating the Antipodean time difference means no-one will miss a minute of the action.
9 Gayton Road, HA1 2DH, thejunctionharrow.co.uk
The Castle, Angel
With a charming roof terrace just a short walk from upper street, the Castle has long been a favoured Islington boozer, but with live showings of all the footy from the Australastian cities this summer it also makes for the ideal hangout for catching every Lioness goal.
54 Pentonville Road, N1 9HF, thecastleislington.co.uk
South
The Lost Hour, Greenwich
Found on Greenwich high road, The Lost Hour makes for an easy south east London hangout for anyone looking to catch the action. Something of a local favourite, the craft beer on tap and reliable pub grub should keep punters happy as the Lionesses progress.
217-219 Greenwich High Road, SE10 8NB, crafted-social.co.uk
Four Thieves, Battersea
The Four Thieves is best known for the myriad VR gaming and activities on offer at the multi-floored, multi-experience venue. It will however be putting at least some of those tellies to a different use over the summer, showcasing all of the matches live from down under.
51 Lavender Gardens, SW11 1DJ, fourthieves.pub
Hiver Taproom, Bermondsey
Whilst the Hiver won’t be showing the Lionesses live, on July 22 and 28 it is organising a little knees-up with evening screenings of the matches. Tickets are £6 each, but that does include a pint, as well as Maltby Street Market specialists Ben’s Bangers providing some much needed sustenance.
56 Stanworth Street, SE1 3NY, madeofengland.co.uk
Toca Social, Greenwich
Loungey co-working spaces which allow for footy watching? Few spots in London can accommodate both these two criteria yet here we are; Toca Social, a multifaceted spot with bars, lounges, co-working, restaurant and screens galore, all housed inside the vast London O2.
Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX, toca.social
The Regent, Balham
Balham’s finest little neighbourhood pub is set to show all the early morning live action from the other side of the world, with three large projector screens showing the matches across the venue.
21 Chestnut Grove, SW12 8JB, theregentbalham.co.uk
The Rosy Hue, Elephant & Castle
Another venue from the south London pub specialists Livelyhood Pubs, the Rosy Hue in Elephant and Castle is a local gem. It ticks all the little pub classics: a quiz, live music, real ales and this summer the number of large built-in screens will showcase every game.
6 Ash Ave, Elephant and Castle, SE17 1GQ, therosyhue.co.uk
The Perky Nel, Clapham
Located just off Clapham common, the Perky Nel is a small but perfectly formed boozer with a handful of screens scattered throughout the pub dining room showcasing all the action. With extended early opening hours, this will be a great spot to catch both the morning and early afternoon matches.
7-8 Cavendish Parade, SW4 9DW, theperkynel.co.uk
The Old Frizzle, Wimbledon
Whilst the Old Frizzle won’t be extending its opening hours into the early morning, this Wimbledon favourite opens doors at 11am, meaning the later morning matches and the early afternoon kick offs are all on show. The first Lioness game to be shown here will be the final group stage match against China on August 1: a noon kick off not to miss.
74-78 The Broadway, SW19 1RQ, theoldfrizzle.co.uk
Hope & Anchor, Brixton
Found on Acre lane between Clapham and Brixton, Hope and Anchor is a big’un. The huge beer garden out back makes for perfect summertime sipping and the bookable huts come kitted out with screens for perfect private viewings of all the live action.
123 Acre Lane, SW2 5UA, hopeandanchorbrixton.co.uk
East
Long Arm, Shoreditch
A number of projectors stud the walls at Long Arm making for exceptional viewing from every angle. One of the many venues clearly geared up for live sport across the year, they’ll be showing all of the action from the World Cup with extended opening hours to cater the early starts.
20-26 Worship Street, EC2A 2DX, longarmpub.co.uk
Bar Kick, Shoreditch
Shoreditch’s go-to footie pub (the name is a clue), Bar Kick would never miss out on the Lioness action. The world cup comes live each morning and into the early afternoon thanks to a host of screens swarming the industrial, pubby space. Reliable ales and crowd pleasing food top off this essential Shoreditch hangout.
Shoreditch High St, E1 6JE, barkicklondon.com
Wapping Tavern, Wapping
Shuffleboard, pizza, darts, beers, pool tables and 17 screens and projectors all make up the sporting mecca that is the Wapping Tavern. Earlier opening hours also mean that here the games are to be shown live each and every day.
78-80 Wapping Ln, E1W 2RT, wappingtavern.co.uk
Bat & Ball, Stratford
Known as the “east London temple of table tennis”, the large bar to the back of Bat & Ball has a decent number of screens along the split level drinking den and its not all ping pong. It looks like the openings hours of the Stratford boozer haven’t been extended, meaning that the pre-11am kick off’s probably won’t be shown, but for any matches from New Zealand or Australia which run past 11am, or indeed kick off from 11am onwards, this is a great option in E20.
2 Montfichet Road, E20 1EJ, thebatandball.com
The Heathcote & Star, Leyton
The games room at the Heathcote & Star is something of a legendary hangout. It’s equipped with pool tables, ping pong and on match days, the large projector screen descends to cover the back wall, making for a cinematic footy-watching experience.
44 Grove Green Road, E11 4EA, heathcoteandstar.co.uk
Beechwood, Shoreditch
Another vast venue with a number of large screens showing the football, Beechwood on worship street is something of a winner. Both the size, quantity and HD quality of screens ensure that there’s not really a bad seat in the house and for after the early morning matches, reliable pub food should make for a handy postgame lunch.
Worship Street, EC2A 2FA, beechwoodsportspub.com
West
Westwood, Shepherds Bush
Found inside Westfield shopping centre, Westwood might be the best sports bar locally with all the women’s world cup action shown on screen. Early opening hours are accommodating the 10am kick offs, handy for the Lionesses first match in particular and with pub classics and crowd-pleasers on the menu this one is a great, straightforward option.
Westfield, Ariel Way, W12 7GF, westwoodsportspub.com
Cross Keys Hammersmith
This well-known Fuller’s boozer in west London reads like a checklist of pub essentials, namely fiercely competitive local quizzes, a colour palette rich with burgundy, warm brown beers and crucially, TVs. It might not be the largest screening experience on the list, but for a classic west London pub, this is where to catch the Lionesses in action.
57 Black Lion Lane, W6 9BG, crosskeyshammersmith.co.uk
The Famous Three Kings, West Kensington
Known for live sport, £4 pints and £10 lunches, the Famous Three Kings has more than a little notoriety. This summer it’s showing all of the England Lioness matches live from our Commonwealth cousins, and with screens above just about every booth, on just about every wall, and with the reliably straightforward pub grub offering, it’s easy to see why this one deserves its fame.
