Best Bars to Watch the Game in Istanbul

The Dubliner is the most reliable address in Istanbul for any Premier League fixture, running eighteen screens across two floors and subscribing to every available broadcast package. It has been the default room for the city's English speaking community for more than a decade, and the sound goes on for the headline match.

Game day tip: Arrive early for a top six Premier League game, when both floors fill fast.

This Beyoglu Irish pub on Balo Street is a long standing favorite with travelers and the local expat community, with wooden booths, a wide beer list and very large screens carrying the major international fixtures. It hosts live music on other nights, so the room knows how to handle a crowd.

Game day tip: Good for an England or Ireland international, when the expat crowd packs in.

Me Gusta is the most popular room to watch a game in Taksim, showing the match on two large projectors across both floors with a capacity of 280 that is usually full on a big night. The open kitchen and long bar make it a settle in venue for a full evening of football.

Game day tip: Book ahead for a Champions League knockout night, when the 280 seats go quickly.

U2 is a small but well loved Beyoglu sports pub where patrons pack in for a pint of Guinness and the game, with more than fifty beer varieties on the list. It covers both rugby and football, which makes it a useful room on a Six Nations Saturday as well as a Premier League afternoon.

Game day tip: Get there early, since the room is small and fills for any marquee fixture.

Winner Sports Pub carries the widest spread of competitions in the city, from Formula 1 and the EuroLeague to the Premier League, LaLiga, the Super Lig and the UEFA fixtures. It is the room to pick when your group follows more than one league across a single night.

Game day tip: A safe choice when the table cannot agree, since it carries almost everything at once.

In the upscale Nisantasi neighborhood, Touchdown is built like an American sports bar and shows all the major games, American football included. It fills for after work happy hours where the beer matters as much as the cocktails, and it picks up the NFL windows the football pubs tend to skip.

Game day tip: Come for a Sunday night NFL game, which Touchdown carries when other rooms do not.

The North Shield is an English style chain pub with several Istanbul branches, and the Sirkeci room runs multiple screens with simultaneous Premier League games, Formula 1, cricket and rugby. It is a steady, no surprises option near the old city for a full afternoon of mixed sport.

Game day tip: Handy for a Six Nations Saturday near Sultanahmet, when it runs several games at once.

The Mackolik Complex is a large multi screen venue where different matches run at the same time, and it is the place to mingle with local fans for games between Besiktas, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce. The room fills with Turkish supporters during the league run in and the tournaments.

Game day tip: Go for a Super Lig derby to watch with a partisan local crowd rather than expats.

On the Asian side in Caddebostan, Havelka airs football on each of its five floors, every floor with its own large screen and comfortable couches for a long sit. It is a local favorite for watching one game after another, and it sits in Fenerbahce territory across the water.

Game day tip: Best for a relaxed Asian side session, since you can move floors to find the right game.

The Port Shield is a long running pub that regulars rate as one of the most reliable rooms in the city to watch a football match, with screens set for the main fixture and a steady local and visiting crowd. It is an unfussy, dependable choice rather than a showpiece sports hall.

Game day tip: A solid walk in option when the Taksim rooms are already full for a big night.