10 Best Bars to Watch the Game in Edinburgh

Malones took the SLTN award for Best Place to Watch the Match in November 2025, a Scotland wide prize, and it backs that up with 4K Ultra HD screens on every wall and a dedicated fan zone for the big fixtures. Two bars keep the queues down, the sound goes on for the marquee games, and it reliably carries the Premier League, the Champions League, and Six Nations rugby. More than 250 whiskies line the back bar for the slow afternoons. See our Malones profile.

The Three Sisters in the Cowgate runs a fan zone across four spaces with more than 30 screens, a 225 inch screen in the courtyard, and three projector screens in the Live room. The open courtyard turns a summer tournament into a street party, while the indoor rooms cover the undercard. It shows football, rugby, boxing, and Formula 1, with the sound up for the headline match.

The Pear Tree holds one of the biggest beer gardens in Edinburgh and the largest outdoor screen in the city, which makes it the warm weather pick for a major tournament. The student-area location keeps prices sensible and the crowd lively, and the garden fills fast for a Scotland game. Inside screens cover the day's other fixtures while the sun is out.

Brewhemia near Waverley shows all the Scotland Six Nations games, including Scotland against England, on three big screens in its Beer Palace room. The hall style space holds a big partisan crowd, and the beer hall format suits a long rugby afternoon with food and steins on the table. It leans into the home nations fixtures more than the English league.

Cold Town House under the Castle screens every Six Nations match on a huge projector and brews its own beer on site, so you get a proper pint with the rugby. The rooftop terrace looks up at the Castle, and the pizza kitchen keeps a long session going. It is the choice for fans who want quality beer over a 40 screen sports barn. See our Cold Town House profile.

The Queens Arms in the New Town carries live sport across five high definition screens with Sky Sports, TNT Sports, and Premier Sports, which covers almost every televised fixture. It keeps a proper pub feel rather than a barn atmosphere, and the multiple subscriptions mean it rarely misses a match. A dependable spot for a regular Premier League weekend.

Belushi's sits a short walk from Waverley Station and runs an electric atmosphere with screens throughout, which makes it an easy first stop on a match day. The backpacker bar crowd keeps the energy high and the prices low, and it shows the major football and rugby fixtures. It works best for the big communal games rather than a quiet watch.

O'Neill's in the Old Town shows every moment of every match on big screens, from the pre match build up to the post match analysis, and carries football and rugby across the week. Live music from Thursday to Sunday keeps the night going after the final whistle. The Irish pub format makes it a strong call for a Six Nations weekend.

The Waiting Room in Morningside is decked out with HD screens so you can catch the action from any seat, away from the Old Town crowds. It draws a neighbourhood crowd and keeps things relaxed, which suits a low key Premier League afternoon or a Six Nations match without the city centre crush. A solid local for fans staying south of the centre.

Milnes Bar off Rose Street is a historic Edinburgh pub that screens live football in a traditional setting, a former literary haunt turned reliable match day local. It keeps the focus on the pint and the game rather than spectacle, with a city centre location that is easy to reach. Best for fans who want the football without a sports barn.