The FIFA World Cup 2026 has taken over Thamel. Every evening the neighbourhood’s bars, rooftops and courtyard cafes switch on their projectors, roll out match-day drink deals, and fill up with fans from every corner of the world. Whether you want a proper football-pub atmosphere, a rooftop view over the Kathmandu skyline, or a more relaxed courtyard dinner with the game playing in the background, Thamel has a screen for you.
Here is our updated, walkable list of the best places in Thamel to watch the World Cup, all within a few minutes of each other.
Our top pick: Busy Bee Cafe
If you only watch one match in Thamel, make it here. Busy Bee Cafe has been a Thamel institution since 1998 — “a place like nowhere else” — and during the World Cup it turns into the neighbourhood’s biggest football venue: a huge sports-bar screen right by the band stage, a garden area with plenty of shade trees, covered restaurant-style seating, and a second floor for when it fills up. Expect national flag bunting strung across the bar, cold Carlsberg on tap, and a genuinely electric match-day crowd of locals and travellers watching side by side.
Busy Bee Cafe
Kathmandu’s original World Cup screening spot, running since 1998. A big sports-bar screen by the live band area, garden and indoor seating across two floors, and a menu covering Nepali, continental and pub food alongside cold beer and cocktails. Arrives busy for big kick-offs — get there early for a table near the screen.
📍 J.P. Marga, Thamel
📷 Instagram 📘 FacebookClassic sports bars & pubs in Thamel
These are the venues built for match nights — multiple screens, pool tables, cold beer and a crowd that’s there for the football first.
Sherpa Pub and Sports Bar
Open 24 hours, with four dedicated big screens, a pool table and free popcorn on match nights. One of the most reliable spots in Thamel to catch every kick-off, whatever the hour.
📍 Mandala Street, Thamel
📷 InstagramEverest Irish Pub
A cosy, three-storey Irish pub known as one of the friendliest football spots in Thamel. Big projector screens, a solid beer selection and cheap drinks make it a favourite for group watch parties.
📍 Z Street, Thamel
📷 InstagramHome Bar
Home Bar has a dedicated sports-memorabilia room at the back, built specifically for live football screenings, plus a pool table and affordable pizzas for a low-key match night.
📍 Near GPO, Thamel
🌐 WebsiteTitos Pub
A wood-panelled pub near Chhaya Center with a rooftop terrace, live music some evenings, and a regular crowd of fans gathering for the games. Good food menu alongside the drinks.
📍 Amrit Marg, Thamel
📷 InstagramTrekkers Bar
A rooftop sports bar with panoramic Kathmandu views, popular with trekkers and travellers winding down after a day on the trail. Big screens and a relaxed, welcoming crowd for late kick-offs.
📍 Chaksibari Marg, Thamel
ℹ️ TripadvisorRooftops, lounges & clubs in Thamel
If you want a bigger production — giant LED screens, DJ sets before and after the match, or a rooftop with a view — these venues are running full World Cup watch parties throughout the tournament.
The Bar Room
Extremely popular for tournament nights, with giant indoor screens and a running World Cup drink deal (buy 2 Barahsinghe draft beers, get 1 free).
📍 Z-Street, Thamel
📷 InstagramVIP Restaurant & Lounge
A large venue with multiple giant screens, a live house band, and resident DJs performing right up until kick-off — one of the louder, more festival-like options in Thamel.
📍 Sanchyakosh Chowk, Thamel
📷 InstagramTen-Kel Lounge and Bar
A giant projector display paired with live music, dance performances, hookah and multi-cuisine snack platters — the crowd tends to get especially loud during knockout-stage matches.
📍 Center Thamel
📘 FacebookSpine Kathmandu
A rooftop venue with open views across the city, a big screen and a proper sound setup — a good pick for atmospheric late-night and early-morning international kick-offs.
📍 Narsingh Marg, Thamel
📷 InstagramXO Club Thamel
Kathmandu’s newest premium nightlife venue, with a state-of-the-art sound system and giant screens. Hosting daily World Cup watch parties with match predictions and giveaways — worth booking a table in advance for big games.
📍 Chaksibari Marg, Thamel
📷 InstagramThamel Boutique Hotel Rooftop
A more comfortable, premium option — a rooftop match-day buffet combining Nepali and continental dishes, served while the game plays on a theatre-sized screen under the stars.
📍 Amrit Marg, Thamel
📘 FacebookCourtyard cafes & restaurants in Thamel
Prefer to watch the match over a proper dinner rather than standing at a bar? These spots pair the football with good food and a calmer, open-air atmosphere.
New Orleans Cafe
A legendary Thamel institution best known for live music and its relaxed Newari-style courtyard — during the tournament, screens go up around the terrace so you can catch the match with a proper dinner and imported beer.
📍 Chaksibari Marg, Thamel
🌐 WebsiteGaia Restaurant
A beautiful open-air garden setting, ideal if you want to watch the World Cup under the stars rather than inside a crowded bar. Fresh wood-fired pizzas and drinks throughout the match.
📍 Thamel Center Area
📘 FacebookDancing Yak
A large, high-energy venue with rooftop seating, sports viewings, and private karaoke rooms if part of your group wants to peel off after the final whistle.
📍 Thamel Marg
🌐 WebsiteReggae Bar Thamel
Best known for live open-mic and reggae sets, Reggae Bar switches its screens on for late-night World Cup broadcasts — often after an acoustic set by a local band earlier in the evening.
📍 Chaksibari Marg, Thamel
📘 FacebookCarpediem Lounge & Bakery
A cafe-bakery-turned-viewing-hub for the tournament, near Trekkers Home in northern Thamel. Large, crisp screens and daily match promotions in a friendly, fan-oriented setting.
📍 Paknajol / Kaldhara, Thamel
📷 InstagramWatching from home or your hotel
If you’d rather watch privately, all matches are broadcast live on the Himalaya Sports TV channel, and you can also stream every game through the DGO App by DishHome, with mobile and multi-device passes payable via Khalti or eSewa.
Main Photo: Crowd watching footbal in the Busy Bee P876+726, Chaksibari Marg, Thamel, Kathmandu (click for map)
