Best Bars to Watch the Game in Helsinki

Apollo sits inside the Forum mall in the heart of Helsinki and runs the football on big screens, carrying the Premier League, La Liga and the major European leagues. The kitchen and the central spot make it a reliable matchday default, with the sound on for the headline game.

Game day tip: Central and dependable, so a safe first call when you are not sure who shows your match.

The sports bar at Casino Helsinki runs about thirty screens plus a giant screen and a wide range of channels, and it puts on big event nights for fixtures like the Champions League final. The scale of the screen wall makes it one of the best rooms in the city for a marquee match.

Game day tip: Check ahead for the casino's screening events on a final, since they book a crowd.

The name translates as the Helsinki Football Pub, and it earns it, with many TVs and a crowd that comes for the match rather than the night out. It is a focused football room, the kind of place where the whole bar watches the same game.

Game day tip: The pick when you want a room that is all about the football.

Sportbar Toolo is the matchday pub near the Olympic Stadium, with a large number of screens and the pay channels showing football and Liiga ice hockey. It fills with home supporters before a stadium game, so it carries the most partisan crowd in the city.

Game day tip: Go before a stadium fixture for the home crowd, and arrive early on a derby night.

Aussie Bar shows AFL, rugby and football from the southern hemisphere and opens for the early starts, which makes it the room for a morning or overnight fixture that the other bars will not carry. The crowd is a mix of expats and travelers who come for the overseas sport.

Game day tip: The choice for an early or overseas kickoff that needs a bar open before noon.

O'Connell's is a long running Irish bar in the center that shows live football and rugby with a proper pint and a steady crowd. It is a dependable room for the Premier League and the Six Nations, with the kind of pub feel that suits a long afternoon of sport.

Game day tip: A solid Saturday afternoon room for the English football and the rugby.

Molly Malone's runs across two floors and three bars near the railway station and has been named among the top Irish pubs in Europe. The ground floor bar shows live sport on a regular basis, from the Premier League to the NFL, alongside live music later on.

Game day tip: Head to the ground floor bar for the sport, since the upper floors lean toward music.

St. Urho's is a long standing central pub that puts the football and the ice hockey on its screens with a local crowd and a relaxed feel. It is a steadier neighborhood option than the big sports bars, useful for a midweek fixture without the matchday rush.

Game day tip: Good for a quieter midweek game with a local crowd.

Pat the Baker is a small central Irish pub on Vuorikatu that pours a good pint and runs the live sport on its screens. The size keeps it intimate, so it is the pick when you want the match in a smaller room rather than a crowded sports hall.

Game day tip: Best for a smaller, intimate room when the big bars are packed.

The Irish Cottage is a traditional Irish pub in the center that puts the football on for a regular crowd of locals and expats. It is an unfussy room with the match on the screens and a Guinness at the bar, a steady choice for a weekend fixture.

Game day tip: A reliable, low key option for a weekend afternoon match.