Oslo is not the obvious first choice when you think of European sports bar cities. But the Norwegian capital has a fierce relationship with Premier League football, an intense national devotion to winter sports coverage, and a Eliteserien domestic season that generates real passion from April to November. We spent two weeks identifying the 9 venues that take sport seriously enough to deserve your NOK.
Oslo and Sport: What You Need to Know
Norway is Premier League country. The Norwegian passion for English football borders on the obsessive — 400,000 registered members of English football supporter clubs in a country of 5.4 million people. Rosenvik, Vålerenga, and Brann attract domestic support, but Premier League Saturday is the sacred event. The best Oslo sports bars are calibrated first for English football and second for everything else.
Winter sports coverage is the other axis. Cross-country skiing, biathlon, and ski jumping are broadcast live across the country on NRK, and the sports bars that show these events on winter weekends develop a particular character: less rowdy than football, more contemplative, equally invested. The bars in this list cover both.
Karl Johans Gate, Sentrum
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Mon–Sun 11:00–02:00
Oslo's most reliable sports pub, occupying a prime corner on Karl Johans Gate since 1995. The Scotsman holds all the major Premier League packages plus Champions League, Six Nations, and domestic Norwegian football. 20 screens across two floors mean there are no bad viewing positions. The Scottish ownership has ensured that Tennent's and Belhaven Best are poured correctly, and that a proper match atmosphere develops on big European nights. On Manchester United or Celtic matches, the Scotsman is at capacity by 30 minutes before kick-off.
Youngstorget 2, Sentrum
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Mon–Thu 15:00–01:00, Fri–Sun 12:00–02:00
The most atmospheric sports bar in Oslo. Internasjonalen operates from a large, low-lit cultural venue at Youngstorget that has been a gathering point for Oslo's left-leaning music and football communities since 1997. The screens are large and well-positioned. The beer selection leans Norwegian and Scandinavian. On Premier League Saturdays, this is where Oslo's football intelligentsia drinks: people who have opinions about pressing patterns, not just about who's up at half-time. A magnificent place to watch a game.
Torggata 2, Grünerløkka
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Mon–Thu 15:00–01:00, Fri–Sun 12:00–02:00
Crowbar is Grünerløkka's craft beer destination and an increasingly serious sports venue. 30 rotating taps from Norwegian and international craft breweries line the back bar, and the screens cover Premier League and Champions League comprehensively. The crowd skews younger and more craft-conscious than the traditional Oslo sports pubs. On summer weekends, the outdoor terrace fills for Formula 1 qualifying. We recommend Crowbar for anyone who wants to watch Premier League football while drinking something considerably more interesting than standard lager.
The Oslo sports bars category page covers all venues by neighbourhood. For cocktail bars, the Best Cocktail Bars in Oslo guide is essential reading. The full Oslo bar guide covers the entire drinking scene including Fuglen and Himkok.
Grensen 9, Sentrum
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Thu–Sat 22:00–03:30
Jaeger is primarily a live music venue but screens Champions League and major tournament football in its basement bar. The combination of decent sport coverage and live music in a venue that genuinely feels like Oslo — not a replica British pub — makes Jaeger worth knowing about for the right occasion. On Champions League nights without competing live bookings, the basement becomes one of the best sports-watching environments in the city.
Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Sentrum
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Mon–Sun 12:00–01:00
The most reliable Irish pub in Oslo for Six Nations coverage. The Dubliner holds all the rugby packages and its Irish management means that Ireland games create something close to a proper Dublin pub atmosphere on Saturdays. Guinness is poured as intended. The food menu runs all day. The hotel location means there are always a few Irish and British travellers among the regulars, which helps the atmosphere considerably on big international rugby weekends.
Grand Hotel, Karl Johans Gate 31
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Mon–Sun 12:00–01:00
The Grand Hotel's Bibliotekbar is not principally a sports bar, but it holds Formula 1 race screenings in its main space during race weekends, with a 1,200-bottle spirits selection and proper cocktails alongside the coverage. The contrast between the hotel bar aesthetic and the motorsport on screen is part of the appeal. On Norwegian driver race weekends specifically, Bibliotekbar becomes the most upscale sports-watching venue in the city.
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Storgata, Sentrum
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Mon–Thu 15:00–00:00, Fri–Sat 14:00–01:00
World's 50 Best Bars alum Himkok is not trying to be a sports bar. But the distillery and cocktail bar screens Champions League and major tournament football in its front room, and the combination of world-class Nordic cocktails with serious football coverage is unique in Oslo. This is where you go when you want to watch the Champions League final with a Himkok Aquavit Sour in hand. Reserve ahead for knockout stage games.
Olaf Ryes Plass 2, Grünerløkka
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Mon–Thu 15:00–01:00, Fri–Sun 12:00–02:00
Tilt combines 30+ vintage pinball machines with 16 craft beer taps and regular Premier League coverage. The result is Oslo's most relaxed sports bar: people playing pinball between goals, wandering back to their stool for replays, treating the football as one component of a genuinely fun evening rather than the sole reason for being there. For low-key Premier League watching — perhaps a mid-table fixture that doesn't demand full attention — Tilt is the best option in Grünerløkka.
Stranden 3, Aker Brygge
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Mon–Sun 14:00–02:00
Bar Bocca's Aker Brygge waterfront location and 12-screen setup makes it the best Champions League venue on the Oslo waterfront. The bar covers all UEFA club competition games and runs themed cocktails on finals nights. On European nights when Oslo has invested fans of the English and Italian clubs in the field, Bar Bocca fills quickly. The food is solid Italian-influenced bar food; the cocktails are above average for a sports venue.
Oslo Sports Bar Practicalities
Oslo bars are subject to Norwegian alcohol licensing laws. Last orders are typically 02:00–03:00. Prices are significantly higher than the UK or continental Europe — a pint of lager costs NOK 95–130 (roughly 8–11 EUR). Most sports bars do not charge for Premier League game access; you pay through your drinks bill. UFC and boxing pay-per-views typically carry a NOK 100–200 door surcharge.
The Oslo comparison with Stockholm and Copenhagen in terms of sports bar culture is detailed in our Scandinavian bar scene comparison. For a broader Oslo evening that extends beyond sport, see our Best Bars in Oslo guide.
