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England v France: Quarter Final - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
France striker Kylian Mbappe
Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

Where to Watch the 2022 World Cup Final in London

The restaurants, pubs, and bars to see Mbappe and Messi face off

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France striker Kylian Mbappe
| Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

Football at its best is an exceptionally simple game: groups of people brought together to try and kick a ball into the back of a net. Whenever and wherever this takes place, there will be other groups of people brought together to watch it happen. World Cups do this better than any other form of the game on the planet. This is in spite of the location of the 2022 event. Qatar won this tournament in extremely dubious circumstances; its human rights record, which includes criminalising homosexuality, is at odds with so much of what the World Cup purports to stand for.

And still, people wish to celebrate their own nations, and their own heroes — they wish to will new heroes, and witness iconic moments; people map their lives chronologically by World Cups. Fans can remember where they were when their hero missed a penalty, or the exact morning they were given the day off school because a game kicked-off at a time the teachers wanted to watch the game, and almost certainly the sense of confusion when Ronaldo (R9, O Fenomeno, the only Ronaldo) went missing from the Brazil teamsheet ahead of the 1998 final against France.

During World Cups, London’s diaspora communities are at their most brilliantly visible, and thus this attempt to weave that tapestry of people into an easily followable list, that shows where to watch World Cup matches surrounded by people from each nation playing. It’s by no means definitive — pockets of each nation’s fans will be watching matches with faces lit up by televisions in front rooms and in hastily arranged groups at pubs, bars, big screens, restaurants, and electrical stores across the capital throughout the tournament. But these are places that communities will come together to watch their team.

Football at its best is a simple game… So explore London, and find the groups of people brought together by it over the next four weeks.

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Han Bar Restaurant & Karaoke

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New Malden is home to Europe’s biggest and most effervescent South Korean population, with something like 20,000 Koreans living in the area. Samsung set up its first European headquarters here, the South Korean embassy was initially here too, and all around are Korean churches and schools, supermarkets and restaurants, and even a Korean newspaper. It’s great, and the area will be buzzing every time South Korea play over the next four weeks. This guide singles out Han Restaurant because i) there’s karaoke ii) the interior is incredible and iii) the owners confirmed that Han is showing only South Korea games.

Famous Three Kings

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Wales haven’t been at a World Cup since 1958. It’s been a while, and from Llantwit to London, Dafen to Doha, fans are going to be making up for lost time. The iconic London Welsh Centre is already sold out for the group games (keep an eye out for tickets if they make it through to the knockouts.) But the Famous Three Kings is, well, famous for its Welsh contingent during sporting occasions, labelled as it is by its landlord as “a Welsh oasis on the wrong end of the M4”.

Everywhere

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“Just go to Clapham,” says Morgan Brennan, Australian and founder of grassroots team Victoria Park Vixens. “We’re everywhere.”

De Hems Dutch Cafe Bar

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“Tucked away down a Soho side street, on the corner of Chinatown, De Hems prides itself on being London’s one and only authentic Dutch pub.  Steeped in history and tradition, having formerly been a watering hole for Dutch sailors and unofficial HQ of the Dutch World War II resistance, this unique café bar oozes long-established Benelux charm and hospitality.” 

There. Sometimes the establishment’s website does the work for you.

A Toca Restaurant

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Grilled sardines to start, the cabbage soup with smoked sausage for main, and there’s a pork, clam, fried potatoes and coriander dish that no-one can stop thinking about once they’ve tried it. A Toca will definitely be showing the Portugal games, maybe the Brazil ones too, and stomachs will be full either way.

Lush Bar African Restaurant

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Peppered snail. Nkwobi cowfoot. Jollof rice and plantain. Lush Bar does the lot. As well as offering some of West Africa’s finest via Deliveroo, the tiny bar / cafe / restaurant in southeast London will be showing the games. And there’s a pool table. 

Yucatan Bar

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Watching England matches at The Yucatan is a cultural kaleidoscope. Old blokes wrapped in flags crumbling into the walls, shiny happy young things sat with pints of pale ale near the screens, and men from the local Orthodox Jewish community at the bar. Fans have to pay to get in, there’s a token system for booze, and everyone might end up soaked in beer if ( ... When?) England score, but it’s all pretty wonderful, really.

Bongo Bar & Restaurant

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Carl Anka, Manchester United fan for his sins and brilliant writer for the Athletic and Marcus Rashford’s best-selling book You Can Do It for his well-deserved virtues, remembers watching Ghana here in the infamous Luis Suarez-tinged 2010 quarter-final exit against Uruguay. Carnage. Grilled Tilapia? Good. Banku with okra stew? Good. The vibes? Impeccable.

Le Merlin

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The number of French people living in London has decreased since the days of the widely touted factoid that “London is France’s sixth biggest city.” In fact, it’s since 2019 that the number has dropped precipitously from something like 191,000 to 149,000. Wonder why?

But the point is still the same: French people are prevalent in London and will accumulate in most pubs when France are playing. This little creperie, though, nestled on Lower Clapton Road’s secretive food paradise (think the Vietnamese Hai Cafe and recently opened Hainanese Three Bowls) is a great shout for a more intimate crowd. Great food, tiny garden with a hidden screen, and plentiful Breton cider. Allez Les Bleus.

Hijazi Corner

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Edgware Road is London’s spiritual Arab home, and the long road that sweeps north from the end of Oxford Street is full of incredible food, cafes, shisha, and vibes. Hijazi Corner, just south of Edgware Road tube, specialise in the masoob, muttabak, and mandi of Saudi and Yemeni cuisine. Front of house, Abdulrhman said the venue would be busy for the Saudi Arabia and Qatar games. Go soak Edware Road up in all of its glory.

Maple Leaf

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It’s called The Maple Leaf. It’s a Greene King pub that has eight different types of poutine on the menu. You should probably go and watch Canada here.

Katzenjammers

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Katzenjammers might seem like the ideal place for a stag do, and maybe it is, but it’s also one of the most authentic Bavarian joints in the city, and one that shows Bundesliga games every Sunday. Recommended by a German 7-a-side teammate; book a table to watch Hansi Flick’s boys by clicking here.

Fulham Kitchen

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With Serbian Premier League alumni like Aleksandar Mitrovic, Luka Milivojević, and Dušan Tadić all regulars at this south-west London cafe, this is undoubtedly one of the capital’s most authentic Serbian institutions. Recommended by Away at Home, a group looking to watch a game in London with every single nation represented at the World Cup, head here for the “My Mum’s Recipes” section of the menu, and to cheer on Aleksandar and co from afar.

Sidi Bou

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Sidi Bou lays claim to being the only solely Tunisian restaurant in the U.K., and a menu full of mloukhia, mosli, and an intense list of stews backs that up. Although officially closed to the public at the moment, the owners have confirmed to Eater that they are taking bookings for Tunisian group games. Give them a call on 020 8998 7998 to book a spot, hope for the best against Denmark, Australia, and France and there may just be the chance to taste the rest of the menu.

Minories

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Is this place Argentinian? Absolutely not. Does that matter? Not really. Still, word is this is the spot to watch Lionel Messi seek to finally add the World Cup to his exhaustive trophy cabinet for the first group match against Saudi Arabia. Kicks off at 10 a.m. though. Book a table here.

Mamuśka! Polish Kitchen and Bar

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“Classic Polish cuisine, beer and vodka in an unpretentious location.” Sounds good. First game is Mexico on Tuesday afternoon. Ours will be the Mixed Pierogi followd by the Golabki Pork Cabbage Rolls.

Han Bar Restaurant & Karaoke

New Malden is home to Europe’s biggest and most effervescent South Korean population, with something like 20,000 Koreans living in the area. Samsung set up its first European headquarters here, the South Korean embassy was initially here too, and all around are Korean churches and schools, supermarkets and restaurants, and even a Korean newspaper. It’s great, and the area will be buzzing every time South Korea play over the next four weeks. This guide singles out Han Restaurant because i) there’s karaoke ii) the interior is incredible and iii) the owners confirmed that Han is showing only South Korea games.

Famous Three Kings

Wales haven’t been at a World Cup since 1958. It’s been a while, and from Llantwit to London, Dafen to Doha, fans are going to be making up for lost time. The iconic London Welsh Centre is already sold out for the group games (keep an eye out for tickets if they make it through to the knockouts.) But the Famous Three Kings is, well, famous for its Welsh contingent during sporting occasions, labelled as it is by its landlord as “a Welsh oasis on the wrong end of the M4”.

Everywhere

“Just go to Clapham,” says Morgan Brennan, Australian and founder of grassroots team Victoria Park Vixens. “We’re everywhere.”

De Hems Dutch Cafe Bar

“Tucked away down a Soho side street, on the corner of Chinatown, De Hems prides itself on being London’s one and only authentic Dutch pub.  Steeped in history and tradition, having formerly been a watering hole for Dutch sailors and unofficial HQ of the Dutch World War II resistance, this unique café bar oozes long-established Benelux charm and hospitality.” 

There. Sometimes the establishment’s website does the work for you.

A Toca Restaurant

Grilled sardines to start, the cabbage soup with smoked sausage for main, and there’s a pork, clam, fried potatoes and coriander dish that no-one can stop thinking about once they’ve tried it. A Toca will definitely be showing the Portugal games, maybe the Brazil ones too, and stomachs will be full either way.

Lush Bar African Restaurant

Peppered snail. Nkwobi cowfoot. Jollof rice and plantain. Lush Bar does the lot. As well as offering some of West Africa’s finest via Deliveroo, the tiny bar / cafe / restaurant in southeast London will be showing the games. And there’s a pool table. 

Yucatan Bar

Watching England matches at The Yucatan is a cultural kaleidoscope. Old blokes wrapped in flags crumbling into the walls, shiny happy young things sat with pints of pale ale near the screens, and men from the local Orthodox Jewish community at the bar. Fans have to pay to get in, there’s a token system for booze, and everyone might end up soaked in beer if ( ... When?) England score, but it’s all pretty wonderful, really.

Bongo Bar & Restaurant

Carl Anka, Manchester United fan for his sins and brilliant writer for the Athletic and Marcus Rashford’s best-selling book You Can Do It for his well-deserved virtues, remembers watching Ghana here in the infamous Luis Suarez-tinged 2010 quarter-final exit against Uruguay. Carnage. Grilled Tilapia? Good. Banku with okra stew? Good. The vibes? Impeccable.

Le Merlin

The number of French people living in London has decreased since the days of the widely touted factoid that “London is France’s sixth biggest city.” In fact, it’s since 2019 that the number has dropped precipitously from something like 191,000 to 149,000. Wonder why?

But the point is still the same: French people are prevalent in London and will accumulate in most pubs when France are playing. This little creperie, though, nestled on Lower Clapton Road’s secretive food paradise (think the Vietnamese Hai Cafe and recently opened Hainanese Three Bowls) is a great shout for a more intimate crowd. Great food, tiny garden with a hidden screen, and plentiful Breton cider. Allez Les Bleus.

Hijazi Corner

Edgware Road is London’s spiritual Arab home, and the long road that sweeps north from the end of Oxford Street is full of incredible food, cafes, shisha, and vibes. Hijazi Corner, just south of Edgware Road tube, specialise in the masoob, muttabak, and mandi of Saudi and Yemeni cuisine. Front of house, Abdulrhman said the venue would be busy for the Saudi Arabia and Qatar games. Go soak Edware Road up in all of its glory.

Maple Leaf

It’s called The Maple Leaf. It’s a Greene King pub that has eight different types of poutine on the menu. You should probably go and watch Canada here.

Katzenjammers

Katzenjammers might seem like the ideal place for a stag do, and maybe it is, but it’s also one of the most authentic Bavarian joints in the city, and one that shows Bundesliga games every Sunday. Recommended by a German 7-a-side teammate; book a table to watch Hansi Flick’s boys by clicking here.

Fulham Kitchen

With Serbian Premier League alumni like Aleksandar Mitrovic, Luka Milivojević, and Dušan Tadić all regulars at this south-west London cafe, this is undoubtedly one of the capital’s most authentic Serbian institutions. Recommended by Away at Home, a group looking to watch a game in London with every single nation represented at the World Cup, head here for the “My Mum’s Recipes” section of the menu, and to cheer on Aleksandar and co from afar.

Sidi Bou

Sidi Bou lays claim to being the only solely Tunisian restaurant in the U.K., and a menu full of mloukhia, mosli, and an intense list of stews backs that up. Although officially closed to the public at the moment, the owners have confirmed to Eater that they are taking bookings for Tunisian group games. Give them a call on 020 8998 7998 to book a spot, hope for the best against Denmark, Australia, and France and there may just be the chance to taste the rest of the menu.

Minories

Is this place Argentinian? Absolutely not. Does that matter? Not really. Still, word is this is the spot to watch Lionel Messi seek to finally add the World Cup to his exhaustive trophy cabinet for the first group match against Saudi Arabia. Kicks off at 10 a.m. though. Book a table here.

Mamuśka! Polish Kitchen and Bar

“Classic Polish cuisine, beer and vodka in an unpretentious location.” Sounds good. First game is Mexico on Tuesday afternoon. Ours will be the Mixed Pierogi followd by the Golabki Pork Cabbage Rolls.