FIFA World Cup 2018: 21 great places to watch the World Cup final

Charlie’s Pub

When it comes to comfort and value for money, Charlie’s Pub should be at the top of your list. The cozy yet classy venue on Sheikh Zayed Road is offering footie fans a number of dishes that have been aptly named for the occasion. These include the “Yellow Card” that features crispy chicken wings served with hickory BBQ sauce, the “Goal Kick” which is garlic and cumin sautéed vegetables rolled in tortilla bread and the “VAR referee” – a crispy battered fried prawn that’s served with fried noodles and glazed in sweet chili sauce. It’s got a ton of great food and drinks packages on offer too. For AED200, you get five bottles of hop and a snack of your choosing. For AED55, you get a bottle of hops and a char-grilled burger and for AED79, you can get a platter of kebabs that served alongside an ice cold bottle of brew.
Where: Four Points by Sheraton, Sheikh Zayed Road
Contact: +971 4 316 9749,

Football Village at DoubleTree JBR

With a chilled pool, a floating bar and a number of bite sized snacks, DoubleTree’s Football Village is the place to be for those looking to watch the final in a cool – sorry, environment. Daily prizes, face painting and ping pong are on the cards too. And so is an after party that will see a string of local DJs spin back to back tracks until 1am. Nice.
Where: The Walk, Dubai Marina
Contact: +971 58 260 9761,

Nelson’s

The beloved English gastropub is giving its guests a redeemable voucher worth AED25 for every AED100 spent. If that wasn’t enough, guests can also watch the game on one of the venue’s massive projector screens. A number of food and drinks packages are up for grabs too. For AED149, you can get six bottles of hop for the price of five. For AED439, you can get 18 bottles of hop for the price of 14 and for AED99, you can feast a moreish platter for four.
Where: Media Rotana, Hessa Street
Contact: +9714 435 0201,

The Sports Lounge

While Ras Al Khaimah may be a bit further than most of the places on the list, the venue’s 27 TV screens will ensure that you don’t miss a millisecond of the sure to be intense final. Pool tables, ping pong and shisha are on offer. And there’s tons of bite sized snacks to keep you fueled too. Think of it this way, with five star hotels like Rixos Bab Al Bahr and Waldorf Astoria located just minutes away, it might be worth making a staycation out of it.
Where: Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah
Contact: +971 56 503 9786, website

The Penthouse

This rooftop experience comes with an air-conditioned tent, pool parties and a line-up of live enterainment to create a matchday atmosphere. Multiple screens mean you won’t miss any goals and there’s the chance to win tickets to a World Cup match and a holiday of a lifetime. Nice.
Where: Five Palm Jumeirah
Contact: +9714 455 9989, website

Atelier M

Atelier M has set up a fan zone especially for the tournament. Four massive screens will air every single second of the tournament so you can be sure that you won’t miss a single goal, penalty or theatrical dive. There will be special food and beverage packages to keep you fueled throughout the match.
Where: Atelier M, Pier 7
Contact: +971 4 450 7766,

Atlantis, The Palm

A whopping 2,000 people of all ages can watch the World Cup matches together. With a gigantic 28 square metre HD display you can choose to immerse yourself among the mega fans at “The Stadium” or opt for a more chilled vibe at “The Bench” which has a gaming corner. You could also win a trip to the Cup’s winning nation and a getaway to the hotel.
Where: Atlantis, The Palm
Contact: +971 4 426 2626, website

Champions Sports Bar

Aside from airing every second of the final, the lively American sports bar is offering guests 50 percent off its specially prepared Football Madness menu. There’s a billiards table too, for all those who’d like to stick around or kill time in between matches.
Where: JW Marriot Hotel Dubai
Contact: +971 4 607 7977, website

Bridgewater Tavern

Bridgewater Tavern have gone all out in celebration of the FIFA World Cup. The upbeat sports pub has set up three sections for the tournament – general, private viewing and a special fan zone, which promise to leave you front and center of all the action. Keeping you fueled while you watch as favourites like Neymar, Messi and Ronaldo battle it out on the field, is the venue’s moreish food menu and bucket deals. Score.
Where: JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
Contact: +971 4 414 3000,

Moroc Lounge & Bar

Catch all the action at Moroc’s newly renovated bar or bare the heat and opt for a seat at the venue’s outdoor terrace – the views of the gate are quite impressive. Besides great views and excellent service, the venue is offering guests a daily half time happy hour and a special World Cup food menu. Daily prizes are on the cards too.
Where: Movenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate Dubai
Contact: +971 4 444 0000, website

World Cup Arena

If you’re looking for something different, Fairmont Ajman’s pop up arena is the place for you. No really, the fully ventilated space is offering guests shisha, street food and “pool-ball”. What is pool-ball, you may ask. Well, it’s only a fun game that sees players use their feet as cue sticks and kick a football ball into the pockets of a giant sizes pool table. The field is described as the largest pool table and smallest football pitch. Nice.
Where: Fairmont Ajman
Contact: +971 6 701 5757,

Fogo de Chão

If you’re a fan of football and travel, yes travel make your way down to Fogo de Chão. The Brazilian steakhouse is offering every guest the chance to win a travel voucher worth AED5,000 for every game you watch. Sweet. There’s also a special food and drinks offer to savour too. For AED238, you can fest on a Brazilian platter and five hops. If hops aren’t your thing, you can change it for traditional mixed blends.
Where: Central Parks Tower, DIFC District
Contact: +971 4 343 8867,

Jumeirah Mina A’Salam

Taking place in the Jumeirah Mina A’Salam ballroom, guests can expect to watch the biggest sports tournament of the year with a fare that is just as impressive. The Hide, Zheng He’s, Khaymat Al Bahar and Tortuga will be setting up mini stations across the area that has been fitted with massive screens to ensure that you don’t miss a single goal, penalty or dive. Some of the food items on offer include The Hide’s moreish grilled beef hotdogs, Tortuga’s chicken quesadillas and Zheng He’s Peking duck slider.
Where: Jumeirah Mina A’Salam
Contact: +971 4 432 3232, website

Al Forsan

If you’d rather steer clear of bars and pool venues, head down to Bab Al Shams where Al Forsan will be putting on quite a show. Aside from airing the tournament, you can expect to find a number of delicious bites, live entertainment and stand the chance to win some great prizes with the venue’s scratch and win coupons.
Where: Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa
Contact: +971 4 809 6194, website

Qube

The sports bar is celebrating the World Cup by honouring the tournament’s host nation, Russia. Guests will be treated to dishes like cabbage salad, cluding salmon fingers and a number of traditional drinks. There’s foosball to help kill time in between games and free Wi-Fi for those looking to share their experience with their mates.
Where: Meydan Hotel
Contact: +971 4 381 3111,

Real Madrid Café

We’d be lying if we said that we weren’t impressed with RMC’s World Cup offering. Guests receive 20 percent off the venue’s newly crafted menu, a chance to win dining vouchers (anything for AED50 to AED200) is up for grabs and a chance to win an original jersey signed by Cristiano Ronaldo himself.
Where: Real Madrid Café, The Beach
Contact: +971 4 277 5625,

Kickers

Footie fans will be treated to daily food and drinks offers – AED150 for six bottles of brew and a glorious seven hour long happy hour (12pm-7pm) that sees select beverages slashed to half price. There’ll be plenty to eat – nachos, hotdogs and more as well as not one but four large screens and 10 TV screens – talk about extensive coverage.
Where: Sports Village, Dubai Sports City
Contact: +971 4 448 1001,

Bidi Bondi

The Aussie bar and restaurant has set up a fully air conditioned fan zone tent in celebration of the FIFA World Cup. Footie fans can catch all the action live on three massive screens and 15 (yes, 15) smaller ones. There’s a neat food and drinks package on offer too. For AED155, you can get your hands on five select drinks or four drinks and a meal from the venue’s à la carte menu. What’s more is for “season” package purchased, you stand a chance to win travel vouchers worth AED10,000. The venue’s pre and post-match games along with its half-time competitions are well worth a try too.
Where: Clubhouse Al Manhal, Shoreline Apartments, Palm Jumeirah
Contact: +971 4 427 0515,

Garden on 8

With an air conditioned outdoor fan zone, a specially crafted food menu that includes the likes of Wiener schnitzel strips, tangy BBQ chicken wings and crispy chunky onion rings, and one massive screen airing every single of the FIFA World Cup, Garden on 8 really have gone all in celebration of this year’s World Cup fnal. No really, they have. There’s live entertainment, tons of competitions and face painting too.
Where: Media One Hotel
Contact: +971 4 427 1000, website

The Irish Village

The Irish Village has quite a neat set up in celebration of the FIFA World Cup final. Fans can watch all the action on the mega screen from tiered terraces while the venue’s lively staff ensure that their every need is catered to. There’s a minimum spend of AED100 – the fish and chips are delicious and well worth a try. Groups of 10 or more are advised to make a booking to secure their seat.
Where: Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, Garhoud
Contact: +971 4 282 4750,