England’s World Cup 2026 group matches are easy enough to plan around in Chester: two 9:00pm kick-offs and one 10:00pm Saturday night game. The hard part is choosing the right kind of room.
Some venues now have proper World Cup pages and booking links. Some are selling tickets. Some are useful local pub options. Some will probably show the football, but still need a direct check before you build the night around them.
Last checked: 11 June 2026
Main advice: book where possible, especially for Panama v England on Saturday 27 June.
England World Cup 2026 Group Fixtures
England Football has confirmed the group-stage fixtures:
| Match | Date | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|
| England v Croatia | Wednesday 17 June 2026 | 9:00pm |
| England v Ghana | Tuesday 23 June 2026 | 9:00pm |
| Panama v England | Saturday 27 June 2026 | 10:00pm |
All three kick-offs work for pubs in the UK. The Saturday 10:00pm Panama match is the one most likely to stretch Chester’s city-centre venues, because it lands late on a Saturday night.
Quick Picks
Big city-centre sports bar: Off The Wall
Football-club screening with food and drink included: Chester FC Blues Bar
Outdoor ticketed garden screening: Alexander’s Garden
Late-night group or club-style atmosphere: Rosies Chester
Cinema-style big screen with guaranteed seat: Chester Picturehouse
Station-side option: Town Crier or The Cellar
Watergate Street pub option: Ye Old Custom House or Watergates Bar
Hoole and local pub options: The Piper, Bromfield Arms, Oaklands Hotel or Oak Tree
Walk-in pub option: Shropshire Arms or Old Queens Head
Confirmed World Cup Pages And Booking Links
These are the clearest current venue pages and booking routes.
- Off The Wall: World Cup specials include matchday mains, handheld food, Peach Spritz drinks, Jagermeister serves, bucket serves for fewer bar trips and MiXR season-pass rewards.
World Cup page - Chester FC Blues Bar: England group-stage tickets are £15 and include a 12-inch pizza plus a first drink token; the bar opens from 6.30pm before each game.
Screening page - Alexander’s Garden: ticketed outdoor screenings are listed for England v Croatia, England v Ghana and Panama v England; no separate food or drink bundle is listed on SeeTickets.
SeeTickets listings - Rosies Chester: England bookings can add pre-booked bottle packages, with Smirnoff listed at £40 and Ciroc at £80; MiXR also offers a free drink on download and matchday prize games.
World Cup Live page - The Cellar: all World Cup games are listed with drinks and food available; table bookings are by texting Adam rather than through a published package.
World Cup 2026 event - The Piper: bookable Hoole option with the England group fixtures listed; the page promises big screens and pub atmosphere but does not list a specific World Cup deal.
England World Cup page - Chester Picturehouse: tickets guarantee a cinema seat and include a beer; the page says Chester will have freshly made pizza available during the screening.
Croatia, Ghana, Panama - City Tavern: bookable World Cup tables with MiXR season-pass games, points and rewards; the page also trails 50% off your round and a free drink through MiXR.
World Cup page - Town Crier: bookable World Cup tables, Miami Peach Lemonade, meal upgrades and a pint add-on from £1.50; MiXR season-pass rewards are also listed.
World Cup page - Watergates Bar: Greene King offer a free drink for opening-match table bookings made before the deadline; the page also links to app games, sticker rewards and prize draws.
World Cup page - Ye Old Custom House: World Cup extras include limited-edition Marston’s pint glasses, Hat-Trick and Vindaloo burgers, Order & Pay from the table and a 10% drinks code.
World Cup page - Red Lion: showing England and Scotland fixtures with big screens and limited bookable space, but no specific World Cup food, drink or discount offer is published on the page.
World Cup page - Oak Tree: free drink for opening-match table bookings, plus Greene King app games including the World Cup sweepstake and sticker rewards.
World Cup page - Oaklands Hotel: book seven days ahead and add four pints of Madri or Guinness for £15; opening-match bookings also qualify for a free drink.
World Cup page - Bromfield Arms: free drink for opening-match table bookings, plus Greene King app games including the World Cup sweepstake and sticker rewards.
World Cup page - Old Queens Head: walk-in only for World Cup games, with Craft Union’s Big Summer Scorecard, free-drink stamp rewards, two-pinter upgrades, shot deals and discounted Walkers crisps.
World Cup page - Shropshire Arms: Craft Union venue page confirms live sport and cheap-drink positioning, but there is no Chester-specific World Cup offer page visible yet.
Venue page
Best City-Centre Options
Off The Wall
Off The Wall is one of the clearest city-centre choices if you want a big, busy bar showing England. It has a dedicated World Cup 2026 page, with England fixtures and booking options.
Use it if you want big screens, food, drinks, central location and the full noisy England-match version of Chester. Book ahead if you want a proper view of the screen.
City Tavern
City Tavern has a dedicated World Cup page with fixture listings and booking links. It is on Frodsham Street, so it is central and easy to include in a wider night out.
Use it if you want a central pub with food, booking options and a lively but not full sports-bar setting.
Ye Old Custom House
Ye Old Custom House has a World Cup page. The page lists England’s fixtures and mentions big screens, views of the match, pre-match build-up, food and Order & Pay from the table.
Use it if you want Watergate Street, food during the match and a central pub rather than a sports-bar chain feel.
Watergates Bar
Watergates Bar has a Greene King World Cup page, including a booking route. It is another central Watergate Street option and works if you want a straightforward pub with the football on.
Use it if you want a central pub setting, a booking option and easy access to other Watergate Street pubs before or after.
Red Lion
Red Lion has its own World Cup page. It is useful if you want to stay around Northgate Street, the Cathedral side of town or the Town Hall area.
Use it if you want a simple central pub option with a booking prompt.
Best Ticketed Or Organised Screenings
Chester FC Blues Bar
Chester FC is showing England’s group-stage games in the Blues Bar at the Deva Stadium. The club lists tickets at £15 per person, including a 12-inch pizza and first drink.
This is the most football-specific option in the guide. It is not in the city centre, so it needs a little more planning, but it gives you a proper football-club setting.
Best for football fans, groups, people who want food and drink included, and anyone happy to travel to the Deva Stadium.
Alexander’s Garden
Alexander’s has ticketed listings for all three England group games on SeeTickets:
- World Cup England v Croatia in Alexander’s Garden
- World Cup England v Ghana in Alexander’s Garden
- World Cup Panama v England in Alexander’s Garden
This is the best option if you want a summer outdoor screening. Check the ticket page and wet-weather position before booking, because this is Chester and the weather does not read event copy.
Best Late-Night Option
Rosies Chester
Rosies Chester has a dedicated World Cup Live page. It lists World Cup fixtures with booking links, and Rosies also has individual England event listings appearing for some matches.
This is not the calm, sit-down, analyse-the-back-four option. It is for groups who want the match to be part of a bigger Northgate Street night out.
Check the fixture page before booking, because entry times, event formats and drinks offers may vary by match.
Best Cinema Option
Chester Picturehouse
Chester Picturehouse is showing England matches on the big screen. There are individual pages for England v Croatia, England v Ghana and Panama v England.
Picturehouse says a ticket guarantees your seat and includes a beer. It also says coverage starts an hour before kick-off, bars and kiosks will be open, and freshly made pizza will be available from the Chester kitchen.
It will not have the same roar as a packed pub, but it may be the most comfortable way to watch.
Best Near Chester Station
Town Crier
Town Crier has a World Cup page with fixture listings and booking links. It is directly by Chester station, which makes it practical if people are coming in by train or meeting after work.
Best for train arrivals, people coming from different directions and an easy meeting point.
The Cellar
The Cellar has listed World Cup 2026 as running from 11 June to 19 July. The page says “all the games, all the drinks, all the tasty eats” and tells people to text Adam to book a table.
Best for City Road or station-side plans, beer and cider, smaller groups and people who want a pub-bar feel rather than a chain sports bar.
Best Hoole And Local Options
The Piper
The Piper has an official World Cup 2026 England page listing England’s group fixtures.
Best for Hoole, a local pub atmosphere and people not heading into the city centre.
Bromfield Arms
Bromfield Arms has a Greene King World Cup page. It is another Hoole option and likely to suit people who want to stay outside the centre.
Best for Hoole locals, food and drinks, booking ahead and avoiding the main city-centre crush.
Oaklands Hotel
Oaklands Hotel has a Hungry Horse World Cup page. It says the venue is showing the World Cup on its screens and mentions booking offers, including a four-pint package when booked seven days in advance.
Best for family-friendly pub food, bigger groups and Chester residents not going into town.
Oak Tree
Oak Tree has a Greene King World Cup page. The page lists England fixtures and mentions Sky Sports and TNT Sports screens.
Best for a local pub option, booking a table and straightforward food-and-football plans.
Walk-In Pub Options
Old Queens Head
Old Queens Head has a Craft Union World Cup page. It is a simple Foregate Street option if you want a pub rather than a ticketed event.
Best for walk-ins, Foregate Street and straightforward pub football.
Shropshire Arms
Shropshire Arms is a Craft Union pub and its venue page says it shows live sport. It is worth checking directly for the England games, especially if you are already planning to be around Northgate Street.
Best for no-fuss pub football, Northgate Street and walk-in plans.
Other Sports-Screen Options To Check
These places are still worth checking, but either the direct World Cup page was not as clear at the time of update or the safest advice is to confirm directly before relying on them.
The Old Dukes
The Old Dukes is one of Chester’s obvious sports-bar options and is likely to be popular for England games. Check its website or social pages before going, especially for booking rules or first-come-first-served entry.
The Leopard
The Leopard is another strong live-sport pub option on Foregate Street. It is worth checking direct for World Cup match arrangements, particularly for the Saturday 10:00pm Panama game.
Rileys Sports Bar
Rileys Sports Bar is built around sport, screens, pool, snooker and darts, so it remains a good option to check. Use the Rileys Chester page for venue information and contact details.
Match-By-Match Suggestions
England v Croatia - Wednesday 17 June, 9:00pm
This is England’s opening group match. Book if possible.
Good options: Off The Wall, Chester FC Blues Bar, Alexander’s Garden, Chester Picturehouse, City Tavern, Ye Old Custom House, Watergates Bar, Town Crier, The Cellar and Rosies.
Choose a ticketed option if you want certainty. Choose a pub if you want atmosphere.
England v Ghana - Tuesday 23 June, 9:00pm
A Tuesday night should be slightly easier than the opener, but England tournament games still fill pubs.
Good options: Off The Wall, Chester FC Blues Bar, Alexander’s Garden, Chester Picturehouse, City Tavern, Town Crier, The Piper, The Cellar, Red Lion, Oak Tree and Oaklands Hotel.
This is probably the easiest match for a more relaxed booked table.
Panama v England - Saturday 27 June, 10:00pm
This is the one to organise early. A Saturday night 10:00pm England kick-off in Chester will be busy.
Good options: Off The Wall, Rosies, Alexander’s Garden, Chester FC Blues Bar, Chester Picturehouse, City Tavern, Ye Old Custom House, Watergates Bar, Red Lion, Town Crier and The Cellar.
If you want a seat, book. If you want a walk-in pub, arrive early. If you want a quieter night, consider Chester Picturehouse or a local pub away from the centre.
Booking Advice
For England games, do not assume every venue will work the same way. Some are taking table bookings. Some are selling tickets. Some may be first come, first served. Some may change arrangements for the Saturday night match.
Before going, check:
- Does the venue have a specific World Cup page?
- Is the England match listed?
- Do you need a table booking or ticket?
- Is food available during the match?
- Will there be sound on?
- What time should you arrive?
- Are children allowed for the later kick-offs?
- Are there wet-weather plans for outdoor screenings?
Final Recommendation
For the easiest city-centre sports-bar answer, start with Off The Wall. For a football-club event, book Chester FC Blues Bar. For an outdoor screening, check Alexander’s Garden. For late-night groups, use Rosies. For guaranteed seating, use Chester Picturehouse. For station-side plans, use Town Crier or The Cellar. For Hoole and local pub options, check The Piper, Bromfield Arms, Oaklands Hotel or Oak Tree.
The main thing is simple: use the direct venue links, book where possible, and do not leave the Saturday night Panama match until the last minute.
