After attending World Cup watch parties in San Diego and spending time in the surrounding bars, PubClub.com reached a simple conclusion: the best World Cup atmosphere isn’t in the official viewing areas. It’s in the bars.
By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Editor & Publisher
After being at public watch parties and in drinking establishments, I have come to this conclusion: the real atmosphere, passion and the party scene for World Cup 2026 is in the bars.
Well, other than being at a World Cup game, of course, but that is not attainable for everyone due to a variety of resons, among them World Cup ticket prices, location of games, travel expenses etc.)
The big bonus of being at a bar rather than at a watch party is that bars are smaller than watch party venues. They are more intimate and as such, you feel more of a bond with others than at a watch party. As a result, there is more energy in bars than at watch parties, more of a feeling of togetherness. And, because of the confined space, it’s more intense.
What I Mean By “Atmosphere”
There are several factors that define “atmosphere” in a sports enviroment. They are:
• The mood of a place, the tone of which is set by the fans and the venue itself
• spontaneous conversations with strangers (other fans)
• singing (soccer fans like to sing during matches)
• high-fives and loud cheers after a goal
• people staying after the match, which often happens more in bars than at watch parties
• Lack of families. Public watch parties often attract families, casual fans and people looking for a community event. Bars tend to attract viewers who are focused on the match itself, creating more singing, chanting, emotional reactions and interaction among strangers.
On the first day of World Cup 2026, I went to the Mission Beach watch party (which was pretty much a dud, to be frank with you), while a PubClub.com correspondent went to a bar in the North Park community. As I walked around the area trying to figure out how to get inside without paying, he was living it up in a lively atmosphere. The best place, which I discovered after the fact, was, a bar. Upstairs at Sandbar was still rocking as people were hanging around and when I went to The Pennant in South Mission Beach, I was informed that I had just missed a pretty good party scene. And I hate it when that happens!
During a previous World Cup, I was with a big group from Budweiser and we went to several bars in Los Angeles. Those were extremely fun times.
The disadvantage, of course, is that bars are mostly if not completely inside and often elbow-to-elbow crowded. Watch parties are outside, there’s fresh air and you can generally find an area in which your personal space is not invaded. The downside is that the minute you get comfortable, someone comes along and stands too close to your or a tall person or someone with a big hat moves right in front of you. Plus, some people are just rude and behave as if they are the only ones who matter and do annoying things such as constantly bumping into you.
Now if you will excuse me, I am off to a bar to watch a World Cup match.
Do you agree that bars provide a better World Cup atmosphere than public watch parties? Leave a comment and share your experience.
Related Posts:
• A Guide For Non-Soccer Fans Wacthing Games In Bars
• Why Soccer Will Never Catch On In America
• What It’s Like To Be At A World Cup Match From PubClub’s World Cup Correspondent
• A PubClubber’s World Cup Survival Guide
• Stadium Beer Prices Vs. Bars In World Cup Host Cities
• Watch videos on PubClub’s TikTok account
Kevin Wilkerson is the founder of PubClub.com, an award-winning journalist and nightlife expert who has covered destinations, events and entertainment for more than two decades. While working as a newspaper reporter, he received an Associated Press award for investigative journalism. He also played soccer in college.
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