Watching sport in Rome
Rome is divided by calcio in a way that almost no other city in Europe can match. AS Roma and SS Lazio share the Stadio Olimpico and almost nothing else, and on derby day the city splits cleanly down two colours. Finding a sports bar in Rome is not the challenge: finding one where the energy is right for the match you want to watch is the work. The bars on this list cover Serie A, Champions League, Six Nations, and the Premier League fixtures that Italian audiences care about. Our editors chose based on screen count, atmosphere, and the quality of the Peroni and house wine served alongside.
"Rome is not a traditional sports bar city. It is a football city first, and the experience of watching AS Roma or Lazio live is fundamentally different from watching it on a screen. The bars on this list are the best version of what Rome has to offer for screen-based sport."
The most complete sports bar in central Rome: 14 screens, 20 draft lines, and a kitchen open until midnight. Coverage includes Serie A, Champions League, Premier League, rugby, and American sports on the overnight screens. The crowd mixes expats, tourists, and local AS Roma and Lazio supporters who prefer a neutral venue on derby day. Book ahead for Champions League knockout matches. The food is several steps above standard pub fare.
The Monti neighborhood's best sports viewing option, Finnegan runs 8 screens across two floors and shows every major Premier League and Six Nations match live. The Guinness is well-kept, the kitchen does proper Irish food, and the mixed crowd of locals and British expats makes for good match atmosphere. The downstairs room is the place to be for evening kickoffs.
A Campo de' Fiori institution with a multi-screen sports setup that attracts the neighbourhood's considerable Anglo-Irish expat contingent alongside Italian football fans. 6 screens, Kilkenny and Guinness on tap, and a terrace that operates even in winter with heaters. The Serie A coverage is comprehensive. Our pick for watching Champions League in a neighborhood setting without fighting for a seat.
A Prati sports bar that takes its football coverage seriously: all Serie A, Champions League, and Europa League fixtures are shown, alongside Premier League on a separate screen. The clientele is local Italian, which means the atmosphere during Rome derbies is something genuinely special. Arrive 45 minutes early for a seat on match day. The house spritz is good and cheap.
Trastevere's most reliable sports viewing venue, McGuigan's shows every Six Nations match live and covers the full Premier League weekend schedule. The Trastevere location means a mixed crowd of students, expats, and local supporters. The kitchen runs a solid Irish-Italian fusion menu until midnight. The upstairs room has 4 additional screens and is bookable for group match viewings of 10 or more.
The only bar in central Rome that takes American sports as seriously as European football. NFL Sundays, NBA playoffs, and MLB are all shown live, often on one of 10 screens across two floors. The cocktail list is American-influenced with good Bourbon selection. The kitchen does American-style food that is legitimately good by Roman standards. The expat community treats this as a home from home.
An Ostiense industrial space that converts entirely into a match-viewing venue on football evenings. 12 screens, cheap beer, and a crowd that is authentically Roman rather than tourist-facing. The atmosphere for AS Roma Champions League nights is hard to replicate. Located near Piramide metro, making it genuinely accessible. No reservation system: arrive early, claim a position, and stay for the full 90 minutes.
A Campo de' Fiori staple with an extensive sports package covering all major European leagues and international rugby. The rooftop terrace adds a memorable dimension to summer football nights. The crowd is young and international. Not the place for a quiet pint before kickoff, but genuinely excellent for the 20 minutes after a Roma goal when the entire bar loses its mind collectively.
A Trastevere neighborhood bar that screens Serie A on 4 indoor monitors and 2 terrace screens during warmer months. The crowd is Roman, the prices are fair, and the aperitivo spread during early evening kickoffs is exceptionally good value. Less frenetic than the Irish pubs, which suits the viewer who wants to actually watch the game rather than survive it.
The sports bar closest to the Colosseum, which makes it a natural stop for visitors who find themselves near the Forum on a match day. 8 screens, strong Guinness, and a reliable schedule of Premier League and Six Nations coverage. More tourist-facing than the others on this list, but managed with care: the staff knows the sport and the screens are always properly calibrated for the match.
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Sports bars are just one side of Rome's drinking life. The same city that roars on derby night has some of the most romantic date night bars in Rome, extraordinary cocktail bars with access to Italian spirits the rest of the world is still discovering, and rooftop bars with views over the Forum and the Pantheon that no other city can match. If you are comparing European sports bar scenes, the London sports bar guide and Madrid sports bars set the European standard. The full global sports bar guide covers 40 cities.