When in Barcelona if you don’t want to spend the money on increasingly expensive stadium tickets, then you are most likely heading to a bar to watch the big game. When Barca plays, the streets empty and most bars are crammed with standing space, let alone seating, so get an hour early to reserve a perfect TV view.
Remember, we are talking about soccer here. If you are interested in American football, check out this page on Barcelona Sports Bars
In El Born there are a number of good bars to watch a game, most of which have a very international feel and generally show Premier League games as well as La Liga. This is the case with Bar Salvador on Canvis Nous street, near Via Leyetana and the Church of Santa María del Mar, which has imported beers and also shows great rugby games. If you don’t mind a predominantly English-speaking crowd, there are two huge traditional Irish bars downtown serving sporting events. These are Dunne’s , in Via Layetana, and George Payne , in Plaça Urquinoana.
Farther from the center, Michael Collins is a favorite for Catalans and expats, and sits in the shadow of La Sagrada Familia. Republic House , on Passeig de Sant Joan, also has a local mixed crowd of expats, and will show just about any game you request.
For a more native soccer crowd, head to one of the bars along Avenida Diagonal, near the Camp Nou stadium – some of the noise you’ll hear will come from the stadium itself. Or try any of the grease-spattered old men’s bars you’ll find on just about every block in town. They are cheap, loud, friendly, and very partisan.
If you want to go to a local game and enjoy a free live football match in the city center, head to the FC Barceloneta stadium, which also has a very good bar with a big screen, in Ronda Litoral. There are games here all weekend, including those in an international league called BIFL , which has teams from all over the world. This league has games in different stadiums around the city on Saturdays and a very lively social calendar. Also in Ronda Litoral, opposite the Barceloneta metro station, is Pasatapas , a tapas and soccer institution whose owner is an avid Espanyol fan.
