Watch the 2026 World Cup
at your local Amsterdam bar.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, which means Amsterdam watches every match on the big screen at the local bar, café and terrace down the street. We track every venue showing matches and surface them here as they get announced, so you can plan your tournament one Oranje game, one knockout, one final at a time.
Watch parties on Unlisted
4 curated · updated weekly
Netherlands · Group F
Kickoff times in CESTWhat's happening
Unlisted is a curated index of what's actually happening in Amsterdam tonight. For the World Cup that means: bars and cafés with the match on, restaurants doing a tournament-themed menu, terraces with a big screen, and the occasional one-off watch party. The list below pulls from venue Instagram feeds, neighborhood newsletters, and operator submissions, then strips out the noise (Eurovision watch parties, K-pop fan zones, etc.) so what you see is football, not vibes.
Oranje qualified for the 2026 World Cup unbeaten from UEFA Group G and was drawn into Group F with Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia. Three group-stage matches: Netherlands vs Japan on Sunday June 14 at 22:00 CEST (Arlington, TX), Netherlands vs Sweden on Saturday June 20 at 19:00 CEST (Houston, TX), and Netherlands vs Tunisia in the small hours of Friday June 26 at 01:00 CEST (Kansas City). NOS holds exclusive Dutch broadcast rights; every match airs free-to-air on NPO 1, 2, or 3 plus NPO Start, NLZIET, and NOS.nl.
Amsterdam is not a host city, but it screens football harder than most cities that are. The gemeente confirmed in April 2026 that bars across the horecapleinen (Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein, Thorbeckeplein) can stay open past their regular 1:00 to 2:00 closing for match-night viewings, provided the operator notifies the gemeente at least three days ahead. Quarterfinals onward, viewings for 250-plus people require a separate permit; the application deadline was May 28, 2026.
Where to actually go depends on the kickoff. Evening matches (19:00 to 22:00 CEST) work everywhere. The 01:00 Tunisia kickoff is the awkward one and only a handful of cafés will be open that late. We'll flag those specifically as the date gets closer. If you run a bar showing matches and want to be listed, email [email protected].
- Oranje group stage
- 3 matches: JPN, SWE, TUN
- Latest kickoff
- NED–TUN, Fri Jun 26, 01:00 CEST
- Tournament window
- Jun 11 – Jul 19, 2026
- Late-license cafés
- around 48 across Amsterdam (gemeente)
- Broadcast
- NOS on NPO 1/2/3 + NPO Start + NLZIET, free
- Time difference
- +6h ET / +7h CT / +9h PT
Amsterdam by neighborhood
Rembrandtplein and Thorbeckeplein
The default Oranje strip. High concentration of sports cafés, screens spill onto the square, easy to find an open seat 30 minutes before kickoff for group-stage matches.
Leidseplein
International and expat crowd. English commentary is the norm; better choice if you support a non-Dutch team and want chatter you can follow.
Centrum (Gravenstraat / Spui)
Smaller bars with serious match atmosphere. Tight on knockouts, arrive at least 60 minutes before kickoff for marquee fixtures.
Jordaan
Brown-bar locals' atmosphere. Quieter, Dutch-language by default, more intimate. Right call when you want to actually watch the football rather than be in a crowd.
De Pijp
De Pijp cafés show matches alongside the F1 Sunday crowd. Mixed-sport vibe; good for casual viewing.
Oost and Indische Buurt
Trendier crowd, terrace screens in summer. Best for Saturday and Sunday afternoon kickoffs when the weather plays.
Noord (NDSM, IJoever)
Waterside terraces show big matches. Pllek and IJver run open-air screens for Oranje nights, weather permitting.
West (Westergas, Westerpark)
Westergasterras runs a 30-square-meter screen on the Klönneplein for big-tournament matches with 2,000-capacity. Festival-style viewing.
Bos en Lommer and Slotervaart
Moroccan-Dutch community hub. Atlas Lions match nights turn Mercatorplein and Plein 40-45 into a street party.
Glossary
- Oranje
- The Netherlands national football team. Orange (the color) is the national match-day code: shirts, paint, flags, the works.
- Groot scherm
- Dutch for "big screen." Usually outdoor on a square or in a beer garden. Requires a gemeente permit when expected attendance crosses 250 people.
- Nachtvergunning
- Late-night opening exemption a bar can file so it can keep serving past its normal 1:00 to 2:00 closing on match nights. About 48 of 342 NL municipalities (including Amsterdam) are allowing this for the 2026 World Cup. The operator notifies the gemeente at least 3 days ahead.
- Group F
- The Netherlands group at the 2026 World Cup: NED, JPN, SWE, TUN. Drawn at the FIFA Final Draw in Washington, DC in December 2025.
- Horecaplein
- A square dominated by hospitality businesses: Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein, Thorbeckeplein. The gemeente has special joint-permit rules for tournament screenings on these squares.
- KNVB
- Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond, the Dutch FA. Heineken is the long-standing Domain Partner; ING is the main team sponsor through 2028.
Frequently asked
Where can I watch the 2026 World Cup in Amsterdam?+
At any bar, café or restaurant on Unlisted that's confirmed they'll show the match. Use the map above. The default neighborhoods are Rembrandtplein, Leidseplein, Centrum, Jordaan, and De Pijp. We add new venues as they confirm. If you run a venue showing matches and want to be listed, email [email protected].
When does the Netherlands play in the 2026 World Cup?+
Three group-stage matches: Netherlands vs Japan on Sunday June 14 at 22:00 CEST (Arlington, TX), Netherlands vs Sweden on Saturday June 20 at 19:00 CEST (Houston, TX), Netherlands vs Tunisia in the small hours of Friday June 26 at 01:00 CEST (Kansas City). Knockout kickoff times can stretch to 03:00 CEST.
What channel airs the World Cup in the Netherlands?+
All 104 matches free-to-air on NPO 1, NPO 2, or NPO 3 via NOS. Stream via NOS.nl, NPO Start, or NLZIET. No subscription required.
Which bars in Amsterdam stay open past 01:00 for the late matches?+
Under the gemeente late-license policy (April 2026), any horeca operator can stay open past their normal 01:00 to 02:00 closing on match nights, provided they notify the gemeente at least 3 days ahead. The most reliable candidates based on prior tournaments are the Rembrandtplein cluster (multiple sports cafés), the Leidseplein cluster, NDSM-side venues like Pllek and IJver, and Hendrix (confirmed for a WK Football Viewing Party on Unlisted). Always confirm with the venue before going.
Where can I watch the Netherlands vs Tunisia 01:00 CEST match in Amsterdam?+
The Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein clusters are the safest bets, since most sports cafés on those squares file for the late-license exemption for marquee Oranje kickoffs. Show up around midnight to lock in a seat. Check Unlisted closer to the date for confirmed late-night watch parties. NOS broadcasts the match free-to-air on NPO, so most cafés with a screen will have it on automatically.
Is there an official FIFA fan zone in Amsterdam?+
No. Amsterdam is not a host city. There are informal Oranje fan zones on Rembrandtplein and (potentially) Museumplein, plus Heineken activations parallel to the official Holland Heineken House in Houston, TX which is the Oranje support base in the USA.
What is the time difference with the US host cities?+
Eastern Time (New York, Miami, Atlanta) is 6 hours behind CEST. Central Time (Dallas, Houston, Kansas City) is 7 hours behind. Pacific Time (LA, Seattle) is 9 hours behind. Many World Cup matches land in Dutch evening (19:00 to 22:00) and Dutch night (01:00 or 04:00).
Where do Moroccan fans gather in Amsterdam during Atlas Lions matches?+
Bos en Lommer (especially Mercatorplein and De Baarsjesweg) and Slotervaart (Plein 40-45). Matches against rivals often trigger street celebration with police on the squares. The pattern from 2022 will repeat for 2026.
Which Amsterdam cafés broadcast in English?+
International cafés on Leidseplein and around Centrum typically run English commentary. For country-specific supporters clubs (England, USA, Italy), ask the venue ahead to confirm which match they're hosting.
How do I get home from a late match in Centrum?+
GVB night buses N84, N87, and N82 run all night on weekends. For weekday late matches your options are night bus or bike. OV9292.nl has the current night schedule.
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We update this list weekly through the Jul 19 final. If you run a bar, café, or terrace in Amsterdam showing World Cup matches and want to be on the list, email [email protected].