The best places in Thanet to watch the 2026 Men’s World Cup

It can’t have escaped your attention that the Men’s World Cup has begun. In these fragmented times there are few things that hold the entire nation’s focus all at once. There’s a new series of The Traitors, and the World Cup. 

Perhaps you’ve taken the next two weeks off work and are planning to hunker down in your living room to watch all the group matches. But we all know that football is best enjoyed as a collective experience. The thing is though, not all collective experiences are the same. 

You don't want to find yourself in some shit pub, surrounded by people who care less about the game than you while you drink a mediocre pint of beer by yourself after your mate stormed out because he didn't think his team were playing well enough.

Nor do you want to find yourself in a packed room with an atmosphere that's a little on edge and with the sense that things could turn sour very suddenly depending on who scores the next goal.

What you want is joy, optimism and the electric excitement of a game. Smiles, hugs, spontaneous connection with people you’d never set eyes upon before. And at least two people you previously thought unshakable to be crying genuine tears of sorrow and frustration when things go wrong.

With that in mind, we’ve scoured the pubs, bars and other venues of Thanet to collate what we reckon will be the places with the best, friendliest, most enjoyable atmosphere to watch some guys kick a ball around for a while.

All these venues will at the very least be showing the three England group matches. The further the team gets, the more screenings there will be. And the increased insistence that ‘it’ is definitely ‘coming home’.

Your guaranteed matches right now are:

June 17, 9pm: England v Croatia
June 23, 9pm: England v Ghana
June 27, 10pm: England v Panama

Not to get ahead of ourselves, but the final is at 8pm on July 19. 

CAMP

Cliftonville’s queer bar and community space will be hosting intimate screenings of all England matches, as well as selected other matches throughout the competition. 
125 Northdown Road, Margate, CT9 2QY. Free.

Where Else

Where Else knows how to put on a fun and friendly football screening. There will be fancy dress, a live band at half time, and DJs. The venue is also exhibiting a football themed exhibition by artist Henry Collins. 
21-22 The Centre, Margate, CT9 1RL. Free.

The Bedford Inn

A lovely pub with a great crowd of regulars and a large garden to enjoy the sunshine in before kick off, the Bedford Inn will be screening every England game.
29 West Cliff Road, Ramsgate, CT11 9JP. Free.

Drill Shed

Football watch party company 4theFans is taking over the Drill Shed to put on some big events, with huge screens, DJs, special effects and more. 
The Lido, 1 Ethelbert Terrace, Margate, CT9 1RX. Tickets from £6. 

Prince Albert, Broadstairs

Recently reopened under new management, each match screening at the Prince Albert will be bookended by karaoke. Everything that begins and ends with karaoke is fun.
38 High Street, Broadstairs, CT10 1LH. Free. 

The Tap Room

What the Tap Room lacks in size it makes up for in an incredible ability to squeeze a surprising number of excitable people around its TV. Expect this to spill out of the door into an impromptu street party. 
4 Northdown Parade, Prices Avenue, Margate, CT9 2NR. Free. 

Xylo

The Margate sea front bar will be showing all England games with the sound on. It’ll also be showing all other matches happening during its opening hours with the sound off. 
2-14 High Street, Margate, CT9 1AT. Free. 

Madre

Not actually showing any matches at all, but the bakery is exhibiting a collection of photos from the 1994 USA World Cup by football photographer Tony Davis until July 15. You can also buy a selection of USA 94 merch, which you can then wear to one of the above screenings. 
22-23 Cecil Square, Margate, CT9 1BA. Free.