Melbourne is a footy city first, which means game day here is built around the AFL calendar and the walk to the MCG, then everything else. The best rooms put the siren and the commentary on, hold a screen for the headline match, and open early for an overseas football kickoff. These ten cover the lot, from the Richmond pubs you can reach from the ground to the CBD halls that carry every code at once.
Footy Pubs by the MCG
These Richmond and inner north rooms turn an AFL fixture into an event, with the siren on, partisan scarves and a walk to the ground.
01
The Sporting Globe
Richmond$$50+ screens / Booths
The Richmond Sporting Globe was rebuilt for footy with a multi million dollar fit out, more than fifty screens and private booths fitted with their own touchscreen televisions. It is the safe choice for a group that wants its own screen and its own controls, and it sits a short walk from the MCG for a pre game session.
Game day tip: Book a booth for the Grand Final or a Friday night blockbuster, since they go first.
02
Bourke Street Imperial
CBD$$EPL live and loud / Rooftop
The Imperial on Bourke Street runs a dedicated Premier League program, turning the sound up and opening early for the overseas kickoffs, with a rooftop and giant screens close to Parliament. It bridges the footy and football crowds better than most, and the rooftop is a draw on a clear night fixture.
Game day tip: Check the venue's EPL schedule, since it opens early for the marquee Saturday football.
03
The Great Northern Hotel
Carlton North$$Screens everywhere / Garden
The Great Northern in Carlton North is one of the best rooms in the inner north for the footy, with screens in every direction, a generous beer garden and coverage spanning the NRL, cricket, the A-League, the Premier League and the NFL. The crowd is a loyal local one rather than a transient city group.
Game day tip: Claim a garden table early on a warm AFL Saturday, when the back fills fast.
04
The London Tavern
Richmond$$Outdoor screen / MCG walk
The London Tavern is a Richmond institution for the walk to the MCG, famous for a huge beer garden and a massive outdoor screen that pulls a sea of scarves before a game. The pre match energy is the reason people pack in here rather than head straight to the ground.
Game day tip: Get there well before bounce for a Tigers home game, then walk to the MCG.
05
The Birmingham Hotel
Fitzroy$$14 screens / Two levels
The Birmingham in Fitzroy spreads fourteen screens across two levels, which means there is always a clear view of the match that matters to you even on a busy night. It is a neighborhood footy pub with an unfussy local crowd rather than a polished sports hall.
Game day tip: Head upstairs for a quieter screen when the ground floor is full for a marquee fixture.
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CBD Screen Halls
For groups that follow more than one code, these city rooms carry AFL, NRL, the A-League, the Premier League and the cricket across a wall of screens.
06
The Crafty Squire
CBD$$All codes / Craft beer
On Russell Street in the city, The Crafty Squire carries the AFL, the NRL, the Premier League, the A-League, rugby union and the cricket on its big screens, with a deep craft beer range to match. The English pub feel makes it a natural city room for an overseas football kickoff.
Game day tip: Good for a Saturday that runs from afternoon footy into late European football.
07
Harvey's Sports Bar & Grill
CBD$$17 screens / 4m screen
Harvey's packs seventeen screens into the room, including one four meter screen reserved for the headline match, so the main game is always the biggest picture in the bar. It is built for a sit down session with a grill menu rather than a quick pint.
Game day tip: Aim for a table with a line on the four meter screen for the marquee game.
Where to watch the Premier LeagueOur Premier League guide covers the rooms that open early for the overseas kickoff.
Read the Premier League guide
Riverside and All Code Options
These wider venues handle a full afternoon of mixed sport and suit a crowd that wants the football and the footy in the same visit.
08
The Wharf Hotel
Yarra River$$8 screens / Riverside
The Wharf Hotel sits on the Yarra with eight big screens inside showing the AFL, the NRL and the football, plus scenic river seating for a warm afternoon fixture. The view is the bonus, the screens are the reason, and it works for a mixed group that wants both.
Game day tip: Sit inside for the screens on a big match, since the river deck loses sight lines.
09
Turf Bar
CBD$$Screens every wall
On Queen Street in the city, Turf Bar covers every wall with screens and draws a dedicated footy crowd that comes specifically to watch. It is a no frills city room that does the basics well, which is exactly what you want for a midweek fixture.
Game day tip: Use it for a weeknight game in the city when you want screens over scenery.
10
Hickens Hotel
Inner suburbs$$AFL, EPL and NBA
Hickens runs live sport across the codes, with the AFL, the Premier League and the NBA all on the screens and a pub menu built for a long session. It is a reliable suburban option away from the MCG crush for fans who want the footy without the city crowd.
Game day tip: A calmer alternative to the Richmond pubs on a Grand Final or finals weekend.
Game Day Questions
Where can I watch the AFL near the MCG?
The London Tavern and The Sporting Globe in Richmond are both a short walk from the MCG and turn an AFL fixture into a pre game event. The London Tavern's outdoor screen pulls the biggest pre match crowd.
Which Melbourne bar has the most screens?
The Sporting Globe in Richmond runs more than fifty screens plus private booths with their own televisions, and Harvey's packs in seventeen screens including one four meter screen for the headline match.
Where do I watch overseas football in Melbourne?
Bourke Street Imperial runs a dedicated Premier League program and opens early for the overseas kickoff, and The Crafty Squire in the city carries the Premier League and the A-League with an English pub feel.
Do I need to book for the AFL Grand Final?
Yes for The Sporting Globe booths and the Richmond footy pubs, which fill well before the bounce on Grand Final day. Hickens Hotel and the inner north pubs are calmer fallbacks.
Our Verdict on Game Day in Melbourne
Melbourne is about the walk to the ground. The Richmond pubs and The Sporting Globe give you the footy and the MCG in one trip, the Carlton North and Fitzroy rooms hold a partisan local crowd, and the CBD halls carry every other code for the group that follows more than the AFL. Book ahead on a finals or Grand Final weekend, and walk in everywhere else.
How We Picked
Every bar on this list was checked against its own current listing plus at least one independent guide before publishing, and ranked on the game day specifics that matter: screen count and sight lines, whether the sound goes on for the right league, the leagues and sports shown, the crowd, and how the room handles a late or overseas kickoff. We exclude venues we could not verify as open and showing live sport. For the method behind every game day guide, see our pillar guide to watching the game.
