Where to Watch the FIFA World Cup in Paris?

In France, the free TV channel M6 will broadcast most of the matches. beIN SPORTS (a pay channel) will broadcast the entire 2026 FIFA World Cup.

A fan zone with giant screens is planned on the banks of the Seine, but the exact location has not yet been announced. It may be a paid area.

If you want to enjoy the atmosphere with other people, there's no need to worry so early about finding a place to watch the matches. You'll find plenty of bars and brasseries throughout Paris, easy to spot, that will broadcast the matches on large screens.

Thanks, JoLui. Yes, atmosphere is nice especially when the US plays.

You'll have to look for a place with a TV, because not all bars in Paris have them. Irish pubs do, and will have the games on. Look for the local football club places also. Google "Paris Football pubs" and you'll get a list.

The US will play on the 13th at 3 AM French time, too late to hang out in bars which will be closed anyway, and you might not even be in Paris by then.

But for the second match against Senegal on June 19th at 9 PM French time, that could work.

The French team will play on June 16th at 9 PM; that's when you're sure to find plenty of lively spots with a great atmosphere. Expect some honking in the streets.

Googling "Paris Football pubs" is a great help. It turns out that there are several not too far from our rental.

Yes, we'll be in Colmar for the US game at 3 a.m. I made sure we have an apartment with the TV in a separate room so that my husband won't disturb my sleep (if I'm not watching) We definitely will be out with the French when France plays. Can't wait. Allez les Bleus!

Watching will absolutely not be restricted to football pubs. Just about every pub and brasserie will rent a few (!) large-screen tvs to set up for patrons to watch the matches - and will put at least a couple of them to be visible at outside tables.

I don't know about the ambiance when the U.S. team plays, but it is electric when France plays or most other European, north African, or Sub-Saharan African teams play - lots of expats and immigrants and descendants from lots of countries here.

Honestly, it will be hard NOT to run across places playing the matches, the whole run of the tournament.

I know from experience that many places not listed on Google as sports bars specifically install large TVs for the World Cup and broadcast the matches. It's a business that brings in a lot of money in terms of drink sales, so don't worry.

Now, with the Irish team just squeaking into the World Cup, who knows if they'll make it past the first round? If they flop, those pubs might be closing up early. LOL

@JoLui

Of course, the Irish (and Northern Irish for that matter) still need to qualify through the playoff next month. :-)

We were fortunate to get tickets for the USA v Czech Republic game in Germany in 2006. Many pubs/restaurants in Germany, Brussels and the Netherlands had TVs outside. My husband, two sons and I loved being swept up in the energy.

We'll be on the lookout for the outside TVs and will be looking forward to the energy!

I'm in rural France for 2 months, in Bretagne. I am amazed at the number of places that have no TV at all. As someone noted, there are a lot of Irish pubs - really quite a few. Additionally, there are now brewpubs in France, with a US ambiance.

I've attended 2 matches in Zagreb Croatia in the main square. Hundreds of comfortable chairs outside. Beers provided (at cost) by local restaurants. In one case, Croatia was playing Wales, and there was a LOT of security around. After a while, the Wales fans (of which there were a bunch) became quite rowdy and were saying all kinds of things about Croatian girls. Fun!!

Just learned that the Paris apartment we rented does not have any sports channels. The management's recommendation--go to a pub and enjoy not only the games but the atmosphere! We're good at hunting down soccer games: North Africa Cup while in Marrakech, Morocco v Tanzania; FIFA World Cup while in Ireland (middle of nowhere), USA v Algeria were our most dogged. Hope we can manage Paris and WC games. . .

Enjoy not only the games but the atmosphere!

Speaking of atmosphere, here's what you can expect in Paris when the French national team plays:

https://youtu.be/kcecbEbaUD0?t=14

JoLui, now that's atmosphere! We'll be jumping!

Just learned that the Paris apartment we rented does not have any sports channels.

Yes, but as JoLui pointed out in their first response, it's regular channel M6 that is carrying most of the Cup. So you don’t really have to worry about specific sports channels (although it's true that it always seems like the one particular match one wants to watch is only covered on BeIn Sports . . . hopefully that won't be the case for you).

But anyway it's great fun to go down to a pub, bar, or brasserie and join in with other fans for the fun.

I will check for the M6 channel. Fingers crossed! I am looking forward to France's game on the 16th for some soccer mania!

I have a son who is under 18. Any recommendations to watch the France game in Paris?

If you're worried about the age limit, minors are allowed in bars starting at age 16. It is illegal to serve alcohol to anyone under 18

If you want the full futbol experience, find games where France is playing. Games with the US will have a small audience. Games with France will have a mad fun atmosphere. One great memory is watching Croatia in Zagreb. Such enthusiasm - outdoor venue, plenty of beers supplied (at a price of course), nice chairs to sit in.

But for the second match against Senegal on June 19th at 9 PM French time, that could work.

FIFA schedule shows US plays Australia on June 19 at 9pm French time, not Senegal. (Will still be in group stages and US is in Group D, Senegal and France are in Group I).

France and Senegal play on June 16.

If you have a streaming subscription in the US that will have the games on, and you bring
a laptop/tablet (phone is prob too small to watch the games on), and you know how to set
up a VPN, you should be able to watch the games in your apartment if you don't feel like
going out. But it will depend at some level on the bandwidth on the native internet
connection in your apartment.

Most likely your streaming package requires you to be in the US for it to work, but the VPN
gets around this.

Some browsers (Opera & Firefox for example) have built-in VPN options, both paid and free.
Or you can opt for a free or paid 3rd party VPN.

As to US - Senegal, that is a friendly today, 05/31, 3 PM EDST, 9 PM CET

@Paul-of-the-Frozen-North

Thank you Paul! Somehow I overlooked the US-Senegal friendly, so I’m glad you posted this. Now I’ll be watching this afternoon!

As to the US-Senegal friendly, what a satisfying outcome. My man Puli scored, Balo scored, Dest scored. One complete and total goatflack of a play. 22 players on the field at one time or another.

One complete and total goatflack of a play

A what?

22 players on the field at one time or another.

How many were you expecting?

22 on the field AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. At media tempo, Poch replaced 10 of 11 (including GK), and then subbed out the final 1st half player at about 75'.

In terms of the "goatflack", you had to see it to believe it.

If you have a day job, don't give it up in favour of being a football pundit would be my advice :)

Hey, whatever. Will England make it of the group stage?

Question being asked out of pure curiosity, why do people refer to it as futbol when using English?
I can understand using soccer rather than football to differentiate from American football but don’t see the need for futbol.
Edit-
I do enjoy this advert from Paddy Power which says it all l think, and it includes the French, eventually!

https://youtu.be/oU4AvURsZBM?si=DbjHw529yemJIblZ

The futbol question has asked before. I think it’s because the large Spainsh speaking population in America call it futbol and as a result others have adopted it as a term to differentiate from American football.

Will England make it of the group stage?

Hope not!

Games with France will have a mad fun atmosphere

Don't count on it. As we've all seen with the recent Champions League final the streets of Paris are likely to be filled with rioting youths using the game as an excuse to ransack, loot, attack police and burn anything in sight. Paris is the last city I'd want to watch football in as this behaviour is occuring far too frequently.

Will England make it of the group stage?
Hope not!

Lol....don't worry Gerry, you can drown your sorrows on the 25th June.

I think with Scotland it's more a case of "hope for the best, expect the worst". Always a pleasure to see England get humped either way though :)

So I am not accused of bias* an entertaining World Cup advert from Irn Bru.

https://youtu.be/-1jN0jRAQLw?si=Xcn52CttFE7Q0hSW

*I am obviously totally biased, Come On England!