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After four long years for soccer fans, their (even rarer) equivalent to the Super Bowl is almost here, with one of the world’s biggest sporting events — the FIFA World Cup — kicking off this month.
For avid fans in the Coachella Valley, what better way to spend a scorching summer afternoon than taking in the action from the air-conditioned confines of one of your local watering holes?
The five-week tournament will be held at sites across the United States, Mexico and Canada. This year, the World Cup has expanded from 32 to 48 teams participating, so fans will have way more matches (a total of 104, up from 64 in the last tournament) to check out.
More: World Cup teams are coming to California. Here’s where they’ll train
And while the most recent tournaments have been held in far-flung countries, such as Qatar and Russia, this year’s location in North America means fans on the West Coast won’t have to wake up in the middle of the night to catch the action. Instead, most games are slated to kick off between noon and 7 p.m. PT.
The valley offers plenty of comfortable locations to watch a game and grab drinks and grub, from dive bars to theater-like setups. With the World Cup running from June 11 to July 19, here are the best places to link up with fellow soccer fans in the valley, whether you’re rooting for the Stars and Stripes, “El Tri” or Les Rouges.
More: Inside Levi’s Stadium: 2026 World Cup Venue Aerial Tour
Nestled at the end of a main stretch of downtown Palm Springs — after you pass countless boutique shops, tiki bars and posh brunch spots — is a place where soccer comes first year-round. The Hair of the Dog Sports Bar opened about five decades ago, and its love for soccer is evident the moment you walk in the door, with dozens of soccer jerseys, scarves and national flags adorning the walls inside. The bar, which moved into its current location on South Palm Canyon Drive in 2019, is one of the few places downtown where you might catch a soccer game showing outside of the World Cup.
The pub, which is laid back in the day and tends to fill up at night, offers an excellent space to hang out and catch a game or two, with about a dozen large TVs, plus pool tables, dart boards and arcade games for halftime activities. Drink and food prices are reasonable, and with a daily happy hour that runs from before noon until 7 p.m., you can get a can of Rolling Rock or Pabst Blue Ribbon for just $3 — a rare price for a drink in downtown Palm Springs.
Details: 555 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite A111, Palm Springs, 760-323-9890, hairofthedogps.com
Nestled near some of the Coachella Valley’s iconic golf courses, the appropriately named 19th Hole is a great spot to take in a few World Cup matches. Billing itself as “Palm Desert’s original bar,” with roots dating back to the 1960s, the sports bar along Washington Street has tons of TVs, pool tables and a solid selection of food and drinks. (Our sports editor, Shad Powers, recommends trying the fish and chips — perhaps while England is playing?)
With a daily Happy Hour from 4 to 7 p.m., you can’t go wrong with the 19th Hole’s eponymous signature drink, which has vanilla vodka, peach schnapps, Sprite and a splash of pineapple juice. Or you can try the Peanut Butter and Jealous, which has peanut butter whiskey and raspberry liqueur. If you’re not feeling quite that adventurous, the bar has plenty of draft beers on tap, as well as chavelas.
Details: 42-305 Washington St., Suite A, Palm Desert. 760-772-6696, 19thholepd.com
If you’re looking for larger screens to take in the World Cup — something similar to what you might find on the Las Vegas Strip — we highly recommend the 360 Sports Bar located inside Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs. The bar also has locations with similar offerings at the Agua Caliente casinos located in Cathedral City and Rancho Mirage.
The casino bars will have watch parties for two marquee World Cup matches featuring games and prizes: The United States versus Paraguay at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 12 (the opening match in the U.S.) and the championship match at noon on Sunday, July 19. All of the group stage matches involving the U.S., Canada and Mexico will also be featured matches on the big screens.
Patrons at the bar can expect plenty of draft beers, as well as “kickoff cocktails,” including a tequila-based old fashioned, a casa paloma and a casa chilled coffee, available for purchase. You can also expect plenty of food options, including wings, burgers, spicy chicken sandwiches and more.
The casino will also feature gambling promotions, allowing up to three predictions on featured matches, and one winner will be selected for $100 of free play every day.
Details: 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs, 888-999-1995, aguacalientecasinos.com/dining/
For a bar similar to Hair of the Dog on the eastern side of the valley, JD’s Sports Bar in Indio is a strong option. With pool tables, music, drinks and a lengthy selection of flavored shots, including green tea and Mexican candy flavors, JD's has everything you need to take in a World Cup match. The bar plans to have every match on their TVs with the sound turned on. During US matches, they’ll offer $20 buckets of Bud Light and Michelob Ultra, as well as a $10 combo of a Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey shot and a domestic beer. Head there for a Mexico match, and you’ll be able to get $25 buckets of Modelo and Pacifico, or you can opt for a $12 combo of a Don Julio Blanco shot and a beer.
However, one thing to note: If you’re trying to catch an earlier World Cup match, the bar doesn’t open until 3:30 p.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays. It opens at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays.
Details: 46-459 Monroe St., Indio, 760-698-8038, instagram.com/jdssportsbarandgrill/
If you’re seeking a vibe similar to the 360 Sports bar but closer to Indio, Coachella and the rest of the eastern Coachella Valley, shuffle over to Taproom 29, just past the main lobby of Spotlight 29 Casino.
You won’t lack viewing and drinking options at the Coachella taproom, which boasts 35 televisions and 29 (get it?) beers on draft, as well as plenty of pub food and brick-oven pizzas. The taproom, which opens at 6 a.m., also features a lengthy list of breakfast offerings, including egg white frittatas and huevos rancheros, so you can catch even the earliest games (a few begin at 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. PT) at the Coachella casino.
Details: 46-200 Harrison Place, Coachella. 760-775-5566, spotlight29.com/dining/
Tom Coulter is a reporter for The Desert Sun. Reach him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Five perfect spots to watch the FIFA World Cup in Palm Springs
Continue reading...
For avid fans in the Coachella Valley, what better way to spend a scorching summer afternoon than taking in the action from the air-conditioned confines of one of your local watering holes?
The five-week tournament will be held at sites across the United States, Mexico and Canada. This year, the World Cup has expanded from 32 to 48 teams participating, so fans will have way more matches (a total of 104, up from 64 in the last tournament) to check out.
More: World Cup teams are coming to California. Here’s where they’ll train
And while the most recent tournaments have been held in far-flung countries, such as Qatar and Russia, this year’s location in North America means fans on the West Coast won’t have to wake up in the middle of the night to catch the action. Instead, most games are slated to kick off between noon and 7 p.m. PT.
The valley offers plenty of comfortable locations to watch a game and grab drinks and grub, from dive bars to theater-like setups. With the World Cup running from June 11 to July 19, here are the best places to link up with fellow soccer fans in the valley, whether you’re rooting for the Stars and Stripes, “El Tri” or Les Rouges.
More: Inside Levi’s Stadium: 2026 World Cup Venue Aerial Tour
Hair of the Dog Sports Bar, Palm Springs
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Nestled at the end of a main stretch of downtown Palm Springs — after you pass countless boutique shops, tiki bars and posh brunch spots — is a place where soccer comes first year-round. The Hair of the Dog Sports Bar opened about five decades ago, and its love for soccer is evident the moment you walk in the door, with dozens of soccer jerseys, scarves and national flags adorning the walls inside. The bar, which moved into its current location on South Palm Canyon Drive in 2019, is one of the few places downtown where you might catch a soccer game showing outside of the World Cup.
The pub, which is laid back in the day and tends to fill up at night, offers an excellent space to hang out and catch a game or two, with about a dozen large TVs, plus pool tables, dart boards and arcade games for halftime activities. Drink and food prices are reasonable, and with a daily happy hour that runs from before noon until 7 p.m., you can get a can of Rolling Rock or Pabst Blue Ribbon for just $3 — a rare price for a drink in downtown Palm Springs.
Details: 555 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite A111, Palm Springs, 760-323-9890, hairofthedogps.com
You must be registered for see images attach
The 19th Hole, Palm Desert
Nestled near some of the Coachella Valley’s iconic golf courses, the appropriately named 19th Hole is a great spot to take in a few World Cup matches. Billing itself as “Palm Desert’s original bar,” with roots dating back to the 1960s, the sports bar along Washington Street has tons of TVs, pool tables and a solid selection of food and drinks. (Our sports editor, Shad Powers, recommends trying the fish and chips — perhaps while England is playing?)
With a daily Happy Hour from 4 to 7 p.m., you can’t go wrong with the 19th Hole’s eponymous signature drink, which has vanilla vodka, peach schnapps, Sprite and a splash of pineapple juice. Or you can try the Peanut Butter and Jealous, which has peanut butter whiskey and raspberry liqueur. If you’re not feeling quite that adventurous, the bar has plenty of draft beers on tap, as well as chavelas.
Details: 42-305 Washington St., Suite A, Palm Desert. 760-772-6696, 19thholepd.com
360 Sports, Agua Caliente Casino, Palm Springs
You must be registered for see images
If you’re looking for larger screens to take in the World Cup — something similar to what you might find on the Las Vegas Strip — we highly recommend the 360 Sports Bar located inside Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs. The bar also has locations with similar offerings at the Agua Caliente casinos located in Cathedral City and Rancho Mirage.
The casino bars will have watch parties for two marquee World Cup matches featuring games and prizes: The United States versus Paraguay at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 12 (the opening match in the U.S.) and the championship match at noon on Sunday, July 19. All of the group stage matches involving the U.S., Canada and Mexico will also be featured matches on the big screens.
Patrons at the bar can expect plenty of draft beers, as well as “kickoff cocktails,” including a tequila-based old fashioned, a casa paloma and a casa chilled coffee, available for purchase. You can also expect plenty of food options, including wings, burgers, spicy chicken sandwiches and more.
The casino will also feature gambling promotions, allowing up to three predictions on featured matches, and one winner will be selected for $100 of free play every day.
Details: 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs, 888-999-1995, aguacalientecasinos.com/dining/
JD's Sports Bar, Indio
For a bar similar to Hair of the Dog on the eastern side of the valley, JD’s Sports Bar in Indio is a strong option. With pool tables, music, drinks and a lengthy selection of flavored shots, including green tea and Mexican candy flavors, JD's has everything you need to take in a World Cup match. The bar plans to have every match on their TVs with the sound turned on. During US matches, they’ll offer $20 buckets of Bud Light and Michelob Ultra, as well as a $10 combo of a Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey shot and a domestic beer. Head there for a Mexico match, and you’ll be able to get $25 buckets of Modelo and Pacifico, or you can opt for a $12 combo of a Don Julio Blanco shot and a beer.
However, one thing to note: If you’re trying to catch an earlier World Cup match, the bar doesn’t open until 3:30 p.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays. It opens at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays.
Details: 46-459 Monroe St., Indio, 760-698-8038, instagram.com/jdssportsbarandgrill/
Taproom 29, Spotlight 29 Casino, Coachella
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If you’re seeking a vibe similar to the 360 Sports bar but closer to Indio, Coachella and the rest of the eastern Coachella Valley, shuffle over to Taproom 29, just past the main lobby of Spotlight 29 Casino.
You won’t lack viewing and drinking options at the Coachella taproom, which boasts 35 televisions and 29 (get it?) beers on draft, as well as plenty of pub food and brick-oven pizzas. The taproom, which opens at 6 a.m., also features a lengthy list of breakfast offerings, including egg white frittatas and huevos rancheros, so you can catch even the earliest games (a few begin at 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. PT) at the Coachella casino.
Details: 46-200 Harrison Place, Coachella. 760-775-5566, spotlight29.com/dining/
Tom Coulter is a reporter for The Desert Sun. Reach him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Five perfect spots to watch the FIFA World Cup in Palm Springs
Continue reading...
