Roadtest: Let the games begin!

The 2014 FIFA World Cup is well underway, with horns blown and first goals kicked, and there are plenty of places throughout the Inner West to get together with your fellow football fanatics to watch the games. Here are a few of the local pubs, restaurants and clubs decked out with big screens…

Enmore Theatre

For Greek and Australian games, head to the Enmore Theatre where you can watch the match indoors (which you’ll appreciate during the 2am kick offs) on a massive 9m x 6m screen with concert quality surround sound. That’s got to be one of the biggest screens to go up in the area and this will probably be the closest you’ll get to feeling like you’re really in Brazil – the atmosphere
is sure to be amazing and tickets will sell fast. Entry costs $10-$15+bf, and there will be food and drinks for sale with a cafe and bar on site and no lockout laws to spoil your fun.

The Vic

The Vic in Enmore has turned out to be a hot spot to watch games, drawing a massive crowd this year.
They will be screening selected games (check their Facebook for details) and have their bars and kitchen open for their World Cup events. There are about six screens throughout the place, outdoor heaters and commentary can be heard loud and clear throughout.

Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL

This RSL has long been the go-to venue for Portugal’s fans to watch their games (and those events get pretty busy), but they actually screen all the games here throughout the tournament. Everyone is welcome and entry is free so come along and catch a game on their 170 inch screen located in the Main Bar, plus guests have the chance to win prizes and giveaways. Parking is plentiful, food and drinks are available around the clock and the sound quality is good too.

Norton Street

The place to catch Italy’s games, a number of Norton Street businesses are extending their trading hours during the Cup, including Café Rodizio and Leichhardt Hotel, which will be screening all games and offering cheap eats to keep audiences happy. As always, Bar Sport will screen most games too, with Australia’s and Italy’s games by reservation only – you might even be sharing the space with SBS camera crews too.

It’s first in first serve at Belli Bar, where everyone will be welcome to turn up to watch Australian and Italian games with a coffee and food available. And forum newcomers La Tavernetta are taking bookings for Aussie and Italian games, having set up a large screen inside with seats extending to the outdoors and heaters to keep everyone toasty. Plus they’ve got all kinds of food from bacon and eggs to ciambelli and pizzette, and have extended their Liquor Licence to serve alcohol during the events. Across at Sapore, there will be big screens turned on for most games and prizes for best dressed.