Stockholm's relationship with sport is serious and specific. Hockey dominates — Djurgårdens IF and AIK fill the Ericsson Globe for derby nights, and the Swedish passion for the NHL runs deep enough that Tre Kronor games stop the city. Football is second: Allsvenskan gets genuine crowds and European nights bring out everyone who follows a continental club. These 8 bars get all of it right — screens positioned correctly, draught quality maintained, and atmosphere that does not require you to shout at someone to order a beer.
Sports Bar Culture in Stockholm
Stockholm's sports bar scene is smaller and more spread-out than London or New York — the city lacks the density of dedicated sports bars that Anglo-American drinking culture produces. What it does have is a network of well-run pub-style venues and a handful of specifically good sports bars that have built their reputation through consistent programming and reliable infrastructure. The Swedish interest in international football (Premier League viewership is high), NHL hockey, and Champions League means the best venues invest in multiple satellite packages and enough screens to cover simultaneous matches without forcing a crowd to choose.
The bars below all meet the core criteria: reliable multi-screen setup, at least 8 draught lines with Swedish craft represented, staff who know the matchday schedule, and the kind of kitchen that sustains a 3-hour watch without deteriorating. For the full Stockholm sports bars listings with fixture scheduling and booking information, see our Stockholm sports bars page.
Stockholm Sports Schedule at a Glance: Premier League kick-offs run 14:00–20:00 CET on weekends. Champions League matches typically kick off at 21:00 CET Tuesday and Wednesday. NHL games from North America stream from 02:00 CET — the best venues open from 01:30 for significant games. Swedish Allsvenskan runs Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from May through November.
The 8 Best Sports Bars in Stockholm
The closest Stockholm gets to a genuine sports bar in the American model — multiple large screens covering different fixtures simultaneously, a draught list anchored by Swedish craft alongside international lager, and a kitchen that covers the full match duration without flagging. The NHL programming is taken seriously here, with the bar opening specifically for significant North American games and stocking Swedish jersey collections on the walls. Premier League, Champions League, and Allsvenskan fixtures all get proper coverage. The crowd is mixed and genuinely football-focused rather than using the sport as background to socialising. Book ahead for derby nights.
Open: Mon–Fri 16:00–01:00 · Sat–Sun 12:00–01:00
Price: $$
Screens: 8 screens including 2 large projection
Bishops Arms is a Swedish pub chain but the central Stockholm branch operates at a level that justifies including it: excellent draught beer with consistent rotation, reliable satellite packages covering Premier League and Champions League, staff who know the fixtures, and a kitchen covering the full session. The location at Central Station makes it the default option for international visitors who want sport without searching, and the Swedish craft beer selection on 12 draught lines is better than the chain format suggests. Not creative but consistently good.
Open: Mon–Sun 11:00–01:00
Price: $$
Screens: 6 screens across two floors
Stockholm's most reliable Irish pub takes its sport programming seriously: Champions League, Premier League, Six Nations rugby, and international football all receive dedicated screen space, and the Guinness pour is correctly executed. The atmosphere on European match nights is genuinely good — a cross-national crowd that has found its way here from assorted home countries and converged on the common language of midfield pressing and set-piece arguments. Significantly better than any chain Irish pub alternative. The Guinness alone justifies the visit.
Open: Mon–Sun 12:00–01:00
Price: $$
Screens: 7 screens, all matchday fixtures covered
Pelikan is not a sports bar in the dedicated sense, but the century-old beer hall shows Swedish football and hockey on the nights that matter to the local crowd, and the atmosphere during a Djurgårdens match is unlike anything the purpose-built venues generate. The room is large enough to absorb a significant crowd without losing coherence, the Swedish beer selection is excellent, and the meatballs sustain a full evening. For experiencing Stockholm's football and hockey culture from the inside rather than from a tourist-facing sports bar, Pelikan is the right address.
Open: Mon–Sun 11:30–01:00
Price: $$
Screens: 4 screens, Swedish fixtures prioritised
Stockholm's best option for Premier League viewing draws the English expat community and the Swedish fans of English football who find the pub atmosphere more conducive to concentration than the larger venues. The British pub formula is executed without irony: proper cask-style ales, Match of the Day merchandise on the walls, and a crowd that discusses the shape rather than just the result. Sky and BT Sport packages cover the full Premier League and EFL schedule. The best place in Stockholm for a Saturday 12:30 kickoff.
Open: Mon–Fri 16:00–01:00 · Sat–Sun 11:00–01:00
Price: $$
Screens: 5 screens, Premier League priority
The Hornsgatan neighbourhood bar that takes sport more seriously than its relaxed exterior suggests. The Rover covers Premier League, Champions League, and significant international fixtures across 5 screens while maintaining the craft beer standard that Södermalm requires. The crowd mixes local football fans with craft beer regulars who have discovered the screens as a secondary consideration — the result is a room that is engaged with the sport without demanding total commitment. One of the better midweek European match options in the city.
Open: Mon–Sun 15:00–01:00
Price: $$
Screens: 5 screens
The Scandinavian sports bar chain O'Learys covers the broadest sports portfolio of anything on this list — NFL, NBA, NHL, Premier League, Champions League, and international tournaments all receive dedicated screen time across 14 screens. The city branch is the best of the chain's Stockholm locations, with a kitchen that handles the full matchday and a beer list that goes beyond what the chain format typically permits. Not the most atmospheric option but the most comprehensive for American sports broadcasting, which is not easily available elsewhere in the city.
Open: Mon–Sun 11:00–01:00
Price: $$
Screens: 14 screens including projection wall
The Gamla Stan sports bar works for visitors based in or near the Old Town who need a reliable match viewing option without crossing the city. The location brings a tourist-mixed crowd that reduces the Swedish-specific atmosphere but provides reliable English-speaking staff, comprehensive match coverage across 6 screens, and the full spectrum of international lager and Swedish beer options. Not the city's best sports bar but the most convenient for central Stockholm hotel guests who want to watch a 21:00 Champions League fixture without significant planning.
Open: Mon–Sun 12:00–01:00
Price: $$
Screens: 6 screens
Watching Sport in Stockholm: Key Practical Notes
Swedish licensing means that bars serving alcohol must have kitchen facilities and cannot operate as pure sports viewing venues without a food offer. This is why every Stockholm sports bar also runs a food menu — legally required, not an option. The quality varies significantly; the venues above maintain kitchens worth ordering from rather than simply satisfying the regulatory minimum.
Hockey nights — particularly Djurgårdens and AIK home games — create high demand at bars near the Globe arena (now Avicii Arena). If you are watching an ice hockey match on-screen elsewhere in the city, book ahead. The Tre Kronor national team games, particularly in the World Championship in May and at the Olympics, generate the highest single-event demand of any sport in Stockholm.
For the city's full sports bars listings with fixture scheduling and group booking information, see our Stockholm sports bars page. The Oslo vs Stockholm vs Copenhagen bar scene comparison covers the broader sports culture context across all three Scandinavian capitals.
