Where can I watch my team's football match in Benidorm?
Dear Brenda
Two of us are going in September and our team plays at 3pm on the Saturday, not the main match on telly. One of us struggles to walk far. Which bar near the Old Town will put our game on? And our daughter's family will be out too: where can they watch Scotland with the kids, and will the bars let children in?
Yes, you'll find your game near the Old Town: City Bar on the seafront promenade by the Old Town shows the 3pm games on several screens, and Winners Sports Bar, a couple of minutes from the Old Town shops towards the new town, is the regulars' favourite for football. Kick-off will be 4pm Spanish time, and bars here show 3pm games that aren't televised at home; read the boards the day before or ask behind the bar, and for a really obscure fixture the Drop Inn on Calle Londres has found games for visitors before. With bad legs, pick the nearer of the two to your hotel, take a taxi (the minimum fare is €5 on weekdays) and get there early for a seat by a screen. For your daughter's family, a big bar with a terrace is the regulars' pick, such as the Tropical Bar, which even does alcohol-free cocktails for children. Children with their parents are welcome in most bars in the afternoon and early evening; the catch is a late kick-off, as a Scotland evening game starts at 20:45 or later here, so check the time and ask the bar.
Who the regulars recommend
- Winners Sports Bar, by the Old TownThe bar regulars name most for football, a couple of minutes from the Old Town shops towards the new town.
- City Bar, on the promenade near the Old TownShows the major 3pm games on several screens (2026 visitor report).
- Drop Inn, Calle LondresKnown for trying to find obscure fixtures on less common channels. Check it's still trading.
- Tropical BarA large venue that regulars suggest for families, with alcohol-free cocktails for children (2026).
- Ibrox Bar, Calle LepantoThe Scottish fans' pick for Rangers and other Scottish games, near the middle of the strip.
- Twelfth Man barBig screen on the terrace and a bookie next door for Cheltenham week.
Watch out for
- Calle Gerona and the strip get loud and boozy late on: not the place for children after dark.
- Kick-off is an hour later here than in the UK; check the Spanish time before you set off.
- Late kick-offs can mean adults only in some bars, so ask before you take the children.
- On big match days and in Cheltenham week, seats near a screen go an hour before the start.
- Some bars show several games on mute and only one with sound; ask which one has the commentary.
Which bar near the Old Town shows the 3pm games?
City Bar and Winners Sports Bar are the two names regulars give. City Bar, on the promenade near the Old Town, shows the major 3pm games on several screens. Winners Sports Bar is a couple of minutes from the Old Town shops, heading towards the new town, and has been recommended for years. Vincent's in the Old Town and the Bodhrán bar, just off the seafront by the Old Town, also come up; the Bodhrán shows Celtic games. Arrive an hour before kick-off for a good seat.
Will a bar show a smaller or lower-league match?
Usually, if you ask. The advice we hear most since 2024 is to walk the strip the day before and read the boards, because bars list every game they plan to show. If yours isn't there, ask behind the bar: some bars show one game with sound and others on silent screens. The Drop Inn on Calle Londres comes up more than once as a place that will try to find an obscure fixture. Scottish fans also name the Ibrox Bar on Calle Lepanto, near the middle of the strip, and fans of Yorkshire clubs try the Yorkshire Pride bars.
Can we bring the children to watch a match?
In the afternoon and early evening, generally yes. Children with their parents are a normal sight in bars and on terraces here. The trouble comes with late kick-offs: games that are evening in the UK are an hour later here, and big tournament games can run near midnight, when some bars expect adults only. A large bar with a terrace is the safest bet, and regulars suggest the Tropical Bar. One more tip from 2026: big tournament games are often on Spanish free-to-air TV (RTVE), so the telly in your apartment may show it.
How do we get there if walking is hard?
Taxi or bus, and choose the bar nearest your hotel. Taxis in Benidorm start at €3.60 by day with a €5 minimum on weekdays, and €4.25 with a €5.50 minimum at weekends and after 21:00. A local bus costs €2. If you're staying out at the Rincón end, a taxi to the Old Town is quicker than the walk along the front.
What about Cheltenham, Formula 1 and rugby?
Cheltenham week packs Benidorm out. In 2025 and 2026 some visitors loved it and some said it was too busy to move; the Twelfth Man bar, with a big screen on the terrace and a bookie next door, is the regulars' tip, and many bet on their phones instead of queueing. Formula 1 and MotoGP are the opposite: Sunday afternoons on the strip are quiet, so you can usually watch in peace. For rugby, regulars point to the Benidorm Plaza at the Rincón end, with good food and a lively crowd.
What the regulars say
- Walk past the boards the day before: bars list every match they will show.
- Ask for your game if it isn't listed; smaller bars will often put it on.
- Check kick-off in Spanish time, an hour ahead of the UK.
- Get there an hour before a big game for a seat by a screen.
- Sunday afternoons on the strip are quiet, good for Formula 1.
The numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Time difference | Spain is 1 hour ahead of the UK | time zones (CET v UK time), all year |
| Evening international kick-off | 20:45 Spanish time | visitor reports, 2026 |
| Taxi minimum fare | €5 weekdays / €5.50 nights and weekends | benidorm.co.uk/buses-and-trams, checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| Local bus single fare | €2.00 | benidorm.co.uk/buses-and-trams, checked 15 Oct 2026 |
Reader figures are what visitors reported in that year. We have not checked them ourselves unless the source says so.
Your other questions, answered
2026Where can we watch the Scotland game with the children?
A big terrace bar such as the Tropical Bar, early in the evening. For late kick-offs, ask first, or watch on Spanish free-to-air TV in your apartment.
2026Which bar near the Old Town shows the 3pm games?
City Bar on the promenade near the Old Town shows them on several screens, and Winners Sports Bar is a couple of minutes from the Old Town shops.
2026Will any pub show a Huddersfield match in September?
Read the boards on the strip the day before and ask; the Yorkshire Pride bars are worth a try. The Drop Inn on Calle Londres will try to find obscure fixtures.
2026Which bars show Formula 1 on a Sunday?
Most big bars on the strip, including the Wild Duck Sports Bar on Calle Gerona. Sunday afternoons there are quiet, so you can watch in peace.
2026Where can we watch Cheltenham and place a bet?
Regulars use the Twelfth Man bar's big terrace screen with a bookie next door. Many simply bet on their phones, as the counters get very busy.
2026Where's best for the rugby?
Regulars point to the Benidorm Plaza at the Rincón end for good beer, good food and a lively crowd.
2025Are there any West Ham bars in the Old Town?
Nobody reported a West Ham bar as such. Old Town sports bars such as Winners show most Premier League games; just ask.
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