Football fans across NCR won’t just be watching the World Cup final tonight; they’ll be living it together. As the tournament reaches its climax, cafes, breweries, sports bars and even cinema halls across the city are gearing up for packed community screenings, where supporters in club and national team jerseys will gather for themed drinks, chants and shared celebrations.
For NCR fans, the match will be only half the experience; the rest will be games, chatter and shared memories
A big match calls for the big-screen experience The World Cup saw cinema halls, alongside cafes, become preferred venues for community screenings of high-stakes clashes, and the final is set to follow suit. “Sports have a unique ability to unite communities through shared emotion, and the FIFA World Cup has been a perfect example of that. The enthusiastic response to screenings, with occupancies exceeding 42%, reflects the growing demand for premium, collective viewing experiences,” shares Gautam Dutta, CEO – Revenue and Operations, PVR INOX Limited.‘The idea is to bring football lovers under one roof’Watching the match is only part of the draw, with organisers transforming screenings into full-fledged football festivals. Jumma Ki Raat, an event organising group, which is hosting a World Cup final watch party in collaboration with Gully Labs, shares that fans can look forward to 1v1 football games, foosball, football-themed tattoos, electrolyte-infused chuskis, flags representing participating nations, and other interactive activities before kick-off.
Beyond the big screen, venues are adding sitting football and foosball to keep the competitive spirit alive before kick-off and during half-time
“We wanted to create more than just a screening; we wanted to create a space where fans could celebrate together before the World Cup ends. The idea is to bring football lovers under one roof and make the final a shared experience,” says Sahib Gujral, co-founder of the group.From gasps at near misses to cheers after every goal, many football fans believe the final is best experienced in a crowd, united by the camaraderie of supporting the same team. “Football is simply better when watched together. The atmosphere at these screenings is electric. Fans support both sides, and when your team scores, you’re celebrating with strangers who are just as invested as you are. Watching at home just doesn’t feel the same,” says ardent Messi fan Peeyush Panwar, who has attended community screenings whenever Argentina has played and is set to watch the final at a café in Noida.Chandrabhanu Rituraj, who is rooting for Spain, says, “I watched most of the group-stage matches with friends, but I’ve attended community screenings in Gurgaon for all the knockout games. Almost every match changed in the final minutes, and every twist brought a wave of reactions from the crowd. The final promises to be one of the best we’ve seen in years, and I want to make it memorable by watching it with fellow football fans from across the city.”While the football community is growing, organisers say hosting public screenings isn’t always easy. Siddhant Dahiya, co-founder of Humans of Football, a grassroots football community, says, “We hope there can be a more accessible licensing framework for small-scale screenings, one that protects rights while also supporting the grassroots communities helping football grow in India.”
‘Football is simply better when watched together’
Full houses, themed menus and match-day buzzThe excitement has been translating into packed venues. “We’ve been organising free football screenings regularly, and every match day has drawn a full house. For the final, we’re expecting an even bigger turnout,” says Nishant Joshi, general manager of Underdoggs Noida, a sports bar.“The response to our World Cup screenings has been exceptional. Football has always brought some of the most passionate communities to our venue, and this season has been no different. We’re already running a full house for the final. Along with special beer offers and a curated match-day menu, we’re focused on creating an experience that fans enjoy as much as the football itself,” says Abhinav Jindal, founder of BeeYoung Brewgarden, a brewpub in Malviya Nagar.‘The atmosphere is going to get bigger’Football communities, too, are expecting Sunday’s clash to be the biggest screening of the tournament. “I’ve already attended two screenings, and the Portugal-Spain game had incredible energy… With the final featuring two of the biggest footballing nations and their massive fan bases in India, the atmosphere is only going to get even bigger,” says Akshat Singh of Peña Madridista Delhi, a supporters’ club in the NCR.
