Summer’s on its way, and that means only one thing for footie fans: another hotly anticipated FIFA World Cup and all the thrills, spills, soaring highs and beer-soaked disappointments it brings.
This year, 16 stadiums across Canada, Mexico and the United States will host this epic tournament, which plays out from Thursday June 11 - Sunday July 19 2026. And of course, Engand fans will be glued to the screen, praying that it'll finally come home this summer. In 2022, England once again failed to end its ‘58 years of hurt’, crashing out of the tournament at the quarterfinals after being defeated by France. Could things be better this time round? Getting to the final of the Euros two years ago will give fans hopes a boost, with the bookies’ odds hovering around 6/1.
Practically every pub and bar in London will be getting in on the action and vying for your attendance during the World Cup’s biggest games. However, we’ve whittled it down to the places that offer the best atmosphere and the best view of the screen, wherever you station yourself. Last year, England's manager Thomas Tuchel complained that fans were too ‘silent’: fingers crossed this summer's celebrations will prove him wrong.
RECOMMENDED: The best football pubs in London.
When are the England World Cup matches?
At the moment we only know the dates for England’s first three group stage matches. The Three Lions’ first fixture of the tournament is on Wednesday June 17 at 9pm BST against Crotia. Then, they’ll take on Ghana on Tuesday June 23 at 9pm and play against Panama on Saturday June 27 at 10pm.
How can I watch England's matches at home?
Once again, World Cup coverage is split between BBC Sport and ITV. England’s games against Croatia and Panama will be shown on ITV while its Ghana game will be broadcast on BBC.
