The 12 best places to watch the FA Cup Final in London this weekend – best pubs for Crystal Palace and Manchester City fans
There's nothing quite like the FA Cup. The oldest competition in football reaches its conclusion this weekend, as Crystal Palace take on Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.
Crystal Palace will attempting to win the competition for the first time in their history, having lost in the final in 1990 and 2016, while seven-time winners Manchester City will be hoping to salvage a disappointing season which has seen the club suffer its earliest exit from the Champions League in twelve years, and miss out on the Premier League title for the first time since 2020.
Who are the favourites to win the FA Cup 2025?
The sky blues are still the bookies' favourite to lift the trophy on Saturday afternoon, with bookies giving them around a 73 percent chance of winning, but with Pep Guardiola's team having struggled for form all year, there's every chance the south Londoners could cause an upset.
When is the FA Cup Final 2025 and what time is kick-off?
The FA Cup Final takes place on Saturday May 17 at the home of English football, north-west London's Wembley Stadium. The match kicks off at 4.30pm and should be finished by around 7.30pm at the latest, even if it ends up going to extra time and then penalties.
Keen to catch the big match but not got a ticket to Wembley? London's pubs and bars will be stepping up to the occasion with all the giant screens and pub grub you could hope for. Here are the best options for cheering on your chosen challengers.
Where to watch the FA Cup Final in London
Crystal Palace Fan Park: Boxpark Croydon
Being relatively close to Selhurst Park, it's no surprise that Boxpark Croydon is hosting one of the official fan zones for Palace fans. It's also no surprise that tickets for the screening have sold out already, but if you're quick about joinint the waiting list you may get lucky.
99 George St, CR0 1LD. From £10, advance booking necessary.
Crystal Palace Fan Park: Boxpark Wembley
Eagles fans have lucked out in being allocated the west side of Wembley, which most would argue gives them the better choice of pubs and bars in which to pre-game before the match. Boxpark's Wembley is pretty unbeatable for soaking up the pre-match atmosphere; the venue will be open from 9am, but you'll need to pre-book, and present a match ticket on entry.
Olympic Way, HA9 0JT. From £10, advance booking necessary.
Manchester City Fan Park: Bat & Ball Covent Garden
Cityzens keen to watch with a home crowd can head to the Covent Garden branch of Bat & Ball, which has partnered with City sponsor Asahi for its screening of the big game. Fans will receive a special token with each pint of the Japanese lager purchased at the venue, allowing them to try their hand at Japanese arcade game Pachinki for a chance to take home some exclusive City-themed prizes.
50 Earlham Street, WC2H 9LJ. Free, booking advised.
Big Penny Social
As the largest beer hall in the UK, Walthamstow's humongous Big Penny Social is always a solid choice when there's footie on, offering ample seating, one of the biggest screens you've ever seen in its main space, a range of well-priced in-house beers and a huge menu of pub grub.
1 Priestley Way, E17 6AL. Free, booking advised.
Boxpark Shoreditch
We've all seen videos of England fans celebrating goals at the original Boxpark, and this might be one of your last chances to experience its iconic, pint-throwing, shirts-off goal celebrations; the venue is due to close in September to make way for new developments.
2-10 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6GY. Free-£16.16 (for guaranteed entry and a drink).
Vinegar Yard
If the weather's good, Vinegar Yard's open-air courtyard is a great option for fans who want to bask in the sun while shouting expletives at the referee. And you can munch on slices from Bad Boy Pizza Society, and massive sarnies from Japanese Chicken Shop while you watch, too.
72-82 St Thomas St, SE1 3QX. Free, booking advised.
Bat & Ball Stratford
Settle in for the game at Bat & Ball and you can try your hand at some sporting endeavours yourself once the final whistle's blown. We're not suggesting you try to emulate Erling Haaland or Eberechi Eze, but the venue's beer pong, darts, and pool table all count as sports, right?
2 Mountfichet Rd, E20 1EJ. Free, booking advised.
Belushi's
Belushi's has five locations across the city – in Camden, Hammersmith, Greenwich, London Bridge and Shepherd's Bush – where spectators can expect classic sports bar grub, ice-cold beers and numerous huge screens with great sound quality, all of which makes for a great atmosphere for big matches like this one.
Various London venues. Free, booking advised.
Flat Iron Square
With sixteen screens including an enormous 16ft jumbotron, a mixture of indoor and outdoor areas and a rotating line-up of street food vendors, Southwark's Flat Iron Square is a great shout whatever the weather.
45 Southwark Street, SE1 9HP. Free, booking advised.
Sports Bar And Grill
Sports Bar And Grill calls itself 'London's ultimate football destination'. You can say why – it boasts wall-to-wall HD screens, meaning you won't miss even the sneakiest of fouls. The menu offers burgers, fries and other stuff that's easy to shovel into your gob without taking your eyes off the screen for a second.
19-25 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6DQ. Free, booking advised.
Between the Bridges
Come to Between the Bridges for its atmospheric riverside courtyard, stay for the ample bars and fabulous roster of London street food legends on Time Out Eat Street, a mini food market curated by our own Food and Drink Editor, Leonie Cooper.
The Queen's Walk, SE1 8XX. Free, booking advised.
Tank and Paddle
Come to Tank and Paddle for the giant screens showing all the action in the final, stay for the great range of craft beers, yard-long pizzas and ample post-match gaming opportunities. This Bishopsgate spot has everything you need to hunker down and really make an afternoon of it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
19 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Nico Raskin sees Rangers pal publicly demand a new deal as star man told 'sign the contract'
He's arguably the Light Blues' biggest asset and fans are desperate for him to remain beyond 2027 when his deal expires All the talk this summer has been over the 49ers takeover at Rangers. Then focus swiftly changed to a new manger and that objective has been ticked off with Russell Martin in the door. Now the Light Blues faithful are desperate to see the new regime splash the cash as they bid to pull in Celtic and Brendan Rodgers. But it is prized asset in the changing room who is making waves not just with supporters but also his team-mates. And it is an opinion that is shared by everyone associated with Rangers when it comes to Nico Raskin. After getting over a series of niggles and establishing himself as a key cog in the side under Philippe Clement before his sacking, the midfielder hasn't looked back and has propelled himself to key man status. That isn't just for the club with the midfielder proving his worth and earning wide praise from Belgium boss Rudi Garcia as he tears it up alongside superstar team-mates like Kevin De Bryune. Closer to home the midfielder has two years left to run on his Rangers contract. In short, it means if an offer lands then the new owners would not need to rush into a sale but it would be prime time to do business in terms of holding all the aces at that magic two years to go milestone. But Dujon Sterling has publicly called out his good pal Raskin and told him 'sign the contract' in an Instagram exchange that the Rangers faithful will be lapping up. Sterling has been recovering from injury and shared snaps on his profile from his downtime with Rangers' pre-season back on June 23rd as they prepare for crucial Champions League qualifiers and the domestic return. Raskin was quick to comment 'my boy' before his pal pinged back a demand that is shared widely by the Ibrox support. It comes just days after Kyle Lafferty told Record Sport that the new era must be built around the Belgian. He explained: 'Some of the players who are already at Rangers are outstanding and Russell will do well to hold on to them. 'Raskin falls into that category. For me, he's one of the best players in the Scottish Premiership so keeping him is a must - especially the way Russ wants to play. 'We have to keep Raskin at Ibrox but it's going to be hard because of how well he's performed recently. "There will be teams in for him after making his international debut for Belgium. That's been massive for him. 'But Russ should be looking to build the team around him. Raskin is a work-horse and exactly the type Russ will want at Rangers. "The team will press high up the park and Raskin can do that. If we keep him and add a few more quality players, it's going to be an exciting season for the club
Daily Mirror
19 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Cole Palmer set Club World Cup target as Chelsea star bids to go global
Cole Palmer didn't play on Chelsea's pre-season tour of the USA last summer, but his manager Enzo Maresca believes the Club World Cup is the perfect stage for him to show his talents Enzo Maresca believes Cole Palmer will prove that he belongs on the world 's biggest stage. The England star has been sensational for Chelsea since joining from Manchester City and was instrumental in Chelsea's UEFA Conference League success. Palmer provided two assists to turn the game around against Real Betis in the final – where he was named Man of the Match – to underline his quality as a game-changer on the biggest occasion. The likes of Lionel Messi, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe are here at the Club World Cup in the United States. And Chelsea boss Maresca, who knows Palmer from their days working together at City's academy, believes that the forward is ready to step up and shine this summer. 'I've said it more than once: Cole Palmer is up there with the best players who can produce something at any moment, create something out of nothing,' said Maresca. 'He wasn't with me on the USA tour last summer, so it will also be a chance for him to experience the environment there and to introduce himself to North America.' Palmer is Chelsea's big hope and is also blossoming as a huge player for England after becoming a regular at Stamford Bridge in the past couple of seasons. Maresca has embraced Palmer's talent and the England star played a huge part in Chelsea finishing the season on a high. Chelsea won the Conference League while they also qualified for the Champions League next season, a statement of intent for the club. Maresca is looking forward to the Club World Cup as he believes it will be a big chance for Chelsea to show they belong with the best. Chelsea play their opening match in Group D against Los Angeles FC at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday evening. Maresca said: ' Football unites people and in this competition, considering that there are so many cultures involved, it will also unite many cultures. Football unites people in terms of both emotions and circumstances. 'I'm happy, especially because it's a tournament that brings together the top 32 teams in the world. It's exciting to take part in such a huge competition. And you also have the opportunity to face other top coaches and some world class teams. 'We were there – in North America – last summer, and it was great. There were so many fans there and it will be another opportunity for them to come and watch us and for us to meet them. It will be a great occasion. 'The fans in America were spectacular from the beginning. As far as culture is concerned, Brazilian fans usually create a great atmosphere, it's part of their culture. They are usually happy and incredibly entertaining. 'So with their football culture coming together with ours, hopefully we'll be able to ensure that the people who come to watch the game at the stadium have a great time.' But Maresca is also adamant that Chelsea are not going to make up the numbers – they believe they can win the trophy. After Monday, they face further fixtures in Group D with Flamengo and ES Tunis. Maresca added: 'When you are at Chelsea your goal is always to win. So, our goal – each and every game – will always be to try to win.'
Belfast Telegraph
32 minutes ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Northern Ireland ace on rapid rise: ‘If you'd told me I'd make 23 Premier League appearances I'd have laughed at you'
He's 'Glad All Over', as they say around Selhurst Park. A young Eagle on the rise. An FA Cup winner – and now an established international operator.
