You could watch the FIFA World Cup at your local Zipps Sports Grill or any number of athletics-aligned watering holes, but what fun would that be? Soccer can drag. It needs some oomph. Our solution: Pair the games with bars or restaurants that reflect the countries of the teams playing. Here are suggestions for a few of the 48 national teams that will take the pitch this summer. Because you haven’t screamed for South Korea until you’ve done it through a mouthful of kimchi.
U.S.
Known as a Phoenix Rising fan hub, Turnout Beverage Co. (4056 E. Washington St., Phoenix, turnoutbeverage.com) near Sky Harbor is the quasi-official PHOENIX mag headquarters for USMNT matches.
First match: June 12
Canada
Not a ton of specifically Canadian bars in the Valley where you can play fan-tourist, so we’ll go with that Commonwealth standby: George & Dragon in Midtown (4240 N. Central Ave., gndphx.com).
First match: June 12
Haiti
The beleaguered Caribbean nation shares a landmass with the Dominican Republic, so Mambo’s Dominican Kitchen in Chandler (1950 N. Arizona Ave., 480-718-9210); or nearby pan-Caribbean restaurant and bar Ocean Blue (6140 W. Chandler Blvd., oceanbluecarib.com) are good picks.
First match: June 13
Mexico
Ojos Locos Sports Cantina in Mesa (1656 S. Alma School Rd., ojoslocos.com) is the preeminent Mexican sports bar in the Valley. Go there to find the co-host nation’s famously pugnacious fans doing off-color chants and pounding Modelos.
First match: June 11
Brazil
The single TV hanging over the bar at Galeto Brazilian Steakhouse in Chandler (825 N. 54th St., galeto.com) is sure to feature Seleção Canarinho games come summer.
First match: June 13
Colombia
Fans of Team Colombia are doubly blessed. They get the coolest team nickname, Los Cafeteros (“the coffee growers”), and the Valley’s best World Cup hangout in Downtown hot spot Que Sazón (622 E. Adams St., quesazonrestaurant.com), where chef-owner Fabian Ocampo is unveiling a new menu of ceviches and tiraditos just in time for the tournament. Bonus: Ocampo’s top-notch empanadas also make Que Sazón our pick for defending champion Argentina, too.
First match: June 17
Ecuador
The Valley lacks an explicitly Ecuadorian restaurant, but cultural crossover with neighboring Peru makes Andes Peruvian in Phoenix (6025 N. 27th Ave., losandesphx.com) a good pick for the World Cup. Root for La Tricolor over a plate of potato-y, shrimp-y causa rellena de camarón.
First match: June 14
England
A fixture on any shortlist for the best soccer bar in the Valley, Midtown legend George & Dragon (4240 N. Central Ave., gndphx.com) is the no-brainer pick to watch The Three Lions take on the world.
First match: June 17
France
Sadly, Vincent on Camelback doesn’t have a bar. But The Mick Brasserie + Bar in North Scottsdale (9719 N. Hayden Rd., themickaz.com) does – along with a warm butternut squash tartine that pairs perfectly with Les Bleus.
First match: June 16
Germany
Our favorite spot for rinderrouladen (a pinwheel of beef, bacon and onions under gravy) is also ground zero for Die Nationalelf matches: Edelweiss Biergarten (2625 E. Bell Rd., Phoenix, edelweissphoenix.com).
First match: June 14
Netherlands
Sip a Trappist ale in the cool, dungeon-like solitude of Rokerji’s subterranean bar (6335 N. 16th St., Phoenix, richardsonsnm.com) while Oranje takes the pitch. We’ll take that Dutch date anyday.
First match: June 14
Spain
Tapas Papa Frita (7114 E. Stetson Dr., Scottsdale, tapaspapafrita.com) owner Joseph Gutierrez is a Spanish smoothie who serves a lovely plate of boquerones – ethereal white anchovies served with olive oil, fresh minced garlic, Italian parsley and a little salt with a lemon wedge on the side. Watch La Furia Española with him.
First match: June 15
Morocco
Bastilla, a savory-sweet chicken pie wrapped in buttery phyllo, is our kind of sports grub. It’s also the house specialty at Alzohour Market & Restaurant (7814 N. 27th Ave., Phoenix, alzhourrestaurant.com) where the Moroccan clientele will be losing it over the powerhouse Atlas Lions.
First match: June 13
Egypt
Fuel your Pharaohs watch party at Wessen International Kitchen (1946 E. University Dr., Tempe, wessen-kitchen.com) with a bowl of molokhia – a lemony, garlic-laced soup threaded with supple slivers of chicken.
First match: June 15
Ghana
As World Cup viewing luck would have it, West African cuisine has taken a big step forward in the Valley over the past five years. Exhibit A: West Hut in Midtown (3110 N. Central Ave., west-hut.com), where you can feast on a spicy cowpea stew called red red while cheering on the Black Stars.
First match: June 23
Ivory Coast
West Africa’s soccer breadbasket includes Les Éléphants in 2026. Find their local fans at African Kitchen in West Phoenix (3543 W. Dunlap Ave., 480-532-5512) along with fried snapper in attiéké, a soupy mixture of mayonnaise, tomatoes and onions.
First match: June 14
Iran
As this issue went to press, Iran planned to both boycott the U.S. and make their group stage debut in Los Angeles. War is confounding, no? Support the spirit of athletic cooperation over a plate of succulent koobideh at the Persian Room in North Scottsdale (17040 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, persianroom.com).
First match: June 19
Japan
Though not remotely a sports bar, Hana Japanese Eatery (5524 N. Seventh St., Phoenix, hanajapaneseeatery.com) boasts the Valley’s best Japanese beer and sake selection, and will “have the game on in our banquet room for anyone who wants it,” promises chef-owner Lori Hashimoto. That sounds like a viewing party to us, fellow hamachi kama addicts. First match: June 14
Saudi Arabia
Broiled with a mixture of spices called hawaij, chicken mandi is the perfect nosh while watching the Green Falcons take the pitch. Find it at Mandi House in Tempe (1639 E. Apache Blvd., 480-659-4751).
First match: June 21
Uzbekistan
Since the closure of Café Chenar four years ago, Bukharian Jewish culture doesn’t have a clear touchpoint in the Valley – unless you count Uptown Barber (5808 N. 16th St., Phoenix, uptownbarbershops.com), run by Russian émigré Rony Yagudaev. He’s got a beer fridge and a staff of Uzbeks who’ll be cheering on the White Wolves whenever they’re on TV.
First match: June 17
South Korea
With its anime-like aeni wall illustrations, robust selection of soju cocktails and gochujang-boosted street-food menu, Drunken Tiger (1954 S. Dobson Rd., Mesa, drunkentigeraz.com) is your one-stop-shop for Korean culture. It’s also where you’ll watch the Taegeuk Warriors make their bid for World Cup greatness. First match: June 11
Australia
The Valley doesn’t have an “Aussie bar” per se, but you can reliably find members of the AZ Mates expat group at The Thirsty Lion in North Phoenix (21001 N. Tatum Blvd., thirstylionrestaurant.com).
First match: June 13
