The eve of the World Cup was also the night before some Philadelphia bars could stay open until 4 a.m., according to a bill signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro in March.
But thanks to a sneaky provision in the bill, most establishments interested in a later last call weren’t yet eligible to do so — and in some instances won’t be until after July 4.
As of Wednesday evening, just 17 establishments were approved by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to stay open until 4 a.m. for the duration of the World Cup, according to a list on the PLCB’s website. By Thursday morning the PLCB approved six more establishments, according to their website.
They represent roughly a third of the 65 Philly businesses that applied to the PLCB for approval, with the majority on the PLCB’s list marked as “in review” as of Thursday. The PLCB cancelled six applications due to ineligibility.
The PLCB started approving applications for extended hours on Wednesday, spokesperson Shawn Kelly told The Inquirer over email, and they will continue on a rolling basis. The last day applications will be accepted is June 19, Kelly said.
Establishments in the first wave of approvals include the strip clubs Sin City, Club Risque, and Cheerleaders; Rittenhouse Square sports bar Lucy; nightclubs Woody’s and Concourse Dance Bar; South Philly’s Live Casino! and bowling alley South Bowl, among others.
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The permit process has caused confusion for some local bar owners, who said the delay in approvals have placed their World Cup plans on hold.
Rittenhouse Square jazz and billiards bar Cellar Dog applied for a permit to stay open until 4 a.m. on May 11, according to the PLCB’s records, and did not receive a permit until Thursday morning.
Owner Alfonzo Luna feared the last-minute notice would threw a wrench in the bar’s World Cup festivities. “We submitted everything right and on time, and we were just waiting,” he said on Wednesday night, prior to receiving approval. “I’m sure it’s a lot on [the PLCB’s] end, but for us it’s just frustrating to wait around because it puts a hold on any sort of marketing or operation changes that we that we need to make.”
The performance space at Cellar Dog Philly, which has yet to be approved for a permit to stay open until 4 a.m. during the 2026 World Cup.Spencer Starnes
How is this process supposed to work?
The permits are part of legislation introduced by Pennsylvania state senators Sen. Joe Picozzi and Sen. Vincent Hughes and signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro in March that would enable establishments in Philadelphia to stay open until 4 a.m. from June 11 to July 19, which covers all World Cup matches, Semiquincentennial celebrations, and the MLB All-Star game at Citizen’s Bank Park.
The thinking was that establishments should be able to stay open later to serve an influx of tourists looking to catch late night World Cup matches. In practice, however, many bar owners told The Inquirer that juice of late night hours isn’t worth the squeeze, between higher insurance premiums, an uncertain return on investment, and navigating bureaucracy.
Late night permits are available to all hotels, breweries, distilleries with liquor licenses in Philadelphia City limits. To initiate the application process, establishments must first have paid $250 to the City of Philadelphia’s Dept. of Commerce and completed the Liberty Bell Safe Certification Program, a one-day safety and compliance training.
A view of the Sports & Social sports bar at Live! Casino and Hotel in South Philadelphia. The casino has been approved for a permit to extend bar hours until 4 a.m. during the 2026 World Cup.(Courtesy of Live! Philadelphia)
Then, establishments must apply for a $500 permit from the PLCB, which would enable them to stay open until 4 a.m. through July 19. To be approved, applicants can’t have any pending licensing, inspection, or fiscal objections associated with their business. The City of Philadelphia can also protest applications filed with the PLCB, Kelly said, and can request a permit be revoked at any time.
Also baked into the process: A “30 day hold mandated by law,” Kelly said, that gives the PLCB “no discretion to approve or issue” permits less than 30 days after an application is received.
In other words, if a bar applied on June 4 to be open until 4 a.m., the earliest they could be approved would be July 4, giving them a little over two weeks to take advantage of extended hours. The PLCB decided to hold off on issuing permits earlier to prevent establishments from using them illegally, said Kelly
To be open late for the World Cup’s entirety, Kelly said, a business would’ve had to apply by May 11. “The PLCB conducts a full and complete investigation of every application it receives. There is no set timetable for that review,” said Kelly. “If an applicant submitted all required documentation — and filed in time — they will receive the Philadelphia 250 permit for the full period.”
Popular sports bar Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse applied for a permit on May 21, according to PLCB records, meaning the earliest they could stay open late is June 21. Director of Operations Mike Anderson said the delay, while frustrating, isn’t a big deal.
The bar at Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse, which has yet to have their permit approved for extended hours during the 2026 World Cup.MICHAEL KLEIN / Staff
The bar had only planned to exercise the 4 a.m. privileges on a case-by-case basis, said Anderson, when vibes at the bar are high. “I didn’t want to be left out if everyone else was doing it,” he said. “It could be the thing you tell stories about.”
The permit process was “easy enough,” said Anderson, whose sole gripe is “the lack of guidance.”
“I am guessing that we will eventually be approved or denied,” Anderson went on. “To be honest, it doesn’t really matter if we get approved. If we get denied, I wish I could reclaim my costs.”
Some bar owners, however, are just grateful everything got done in time . Four of FCM Hospitality’s properties — Concourse, Craft Hall, Dolphin Tavern, and the sports bar Lucy’s — are among the first wave of businesses approved for extended hour. Owner Avram Hornik said the process “couldn’t have gone better than it had.”
The PLCB and the city “are building the plane as they fly it,” he said. “It’s really hard to do something new … but I think the city and the state did an excellent job to make this happen.”
This story was updated on Thursday. Staff reporter Michael Klein contributed to this article.
The World Cup officially lands in Philly on June 14, when the Ivory Coast takes on Ecuador at the temporarily-renamed Philadelphia Stadium (aka Lincoln Financial Field) in South Philly, with five more games to follow.
But let’s be real: Getting into a match is going to be difficult. And besides, nothing screams Philly more than taking in a game at a local bar alongside strangers and Citywides that will give you the courage to cheer even louder.
Here are 19 bars in Philly and the suburbs that are going all-in on the World Cup, including four planning to be open until 4 a.m. for late-night matches.
🍺 Bars allowed to stay open until 4 a.m.
Earlier this year, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a bill into law permitting Philly bars to stay open until 4 a.m. for the duration of the World Cup. Just over 50 bars in the city thus far are eligible to apply for a permit to stay open that late, according to a list from the City of Philadelphia, and several told The Inquirer that extending their hours just wasn’t worth it.
On the eve of the World Cup, several bars were still waiting to get permit approval to stay open late.
These are four spots that plan to be open until 4 a.m. in Philly, from a bowling alley to a Latin American club-staurant.
The bar at Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse, 1941 Sansom St., on Aug. 31, 2022.MICHAEL KLEIN / Staff
While Cavanaugh’s Headhouse location has a rep among Newcastle United and Liverpool fans as a solid bar for soccer matches, the sports bar’s Rittenhouse location is the one that will be open until 4 a.m. during the World Cup. Cav’s will be serving daily drinks and food specials, and is one of more than 20 bars participating in the Crawl for the Cup, a citywide World Cup-themed bar crawl, including a scavenger hunt, on June 20.
The World Cup is practically a 24 / 7 event at Mamajuana. The Latin American Northern Liberties club-staurant will be staying open until 4 a.m. on match days while also hosting Sunday brunches and watch parties for 10 games from June 13 through July 19. The club’s World Cup special promises mascot appearances, daily food specials, and limited-edition cocktails, such as the Golden Cup, an old-fashioned served in a gold globe-shaped goblet. A full schedule can be found on Mamajuana’s Instagram.
This lively Hunting Park institution will be open until 4 a.m. during the World Cup to broadcast games in its downstairs bar and upstairs night club. Tierra Colombiana’s menu spans Latin America, which means you can have arepas while Colombia plays, ceviche during Ecuador’s matches, and extra large mojitos all tournament long.
Soccer at a bowling alley? That’s literally the vibe at Oregon Avenue’s South Bowl, a bowling alley and bar (with an outdoor lounge) that is staying open until 4 a.m. to broadcast the following matches: Australia vs. Turkey on June 14, Austria vs. Jordan on June 17, and Tunisia vs. Japan on June 21. Games will play on the screens above each lane, which means there’s the potential to land a strike while watching pro athletes score goals.
If the 4 a.m. crowd isn’t your speed, these 10 Philly bars are hosting World Cup watch parties that don’t skimp on the fun — even if they aren’t going all night long.
Scenes from the opening night of Bok Bar — initially called Le Bok Fin — in 2015.Michelle Gustafson
The Black Taxi
This Irish pub in Fairmount has long been a host for English Premier League matches, at one point even displaying the trophy for an afternoon of photo ops. Roughly a half-mile from the FIFA Fan Fest at Lemon Hill, this is the spot to take in a game with a perfect pour of Guinness.
📍 745-747 N. 25th St., 📞 215-232-1086, 🌐 theblacktaxi.com
All of Philly’s tournament matches will be simulcast on screen’s atop Philly’s most famous rooftop bar, which is hosting Puyero Venezulean Flavor for a monthlong food pop-up in June that includes arepas, empanadas, and bite-sized churros. Where else can you see the lights from the Linc — I mean, Philadelphia Stadium — twinkle in distance during a knockout game on July 4?
The crowd at Brauhaus Schmitz in Philadelphia cheers USA’s first goal against the Netherlands in the World Cup on Dec. 3, 2022.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Bella Vista’s sprawling German biergarten is taking the party to the streets, closing down the block for free outdoor watch parties for matches on June 25, June 27, July 3, July 4, and July 19. Games will be broadcast on 20-foot-tall TVs in the middle of South Street, while indoors will feature 34 beers on tap, surprise giveaways, and burgers with novelty soccer ball pretzel buns. And on non-block party days, Brauhaus Schmitz will be still be airing World Cup matches indoors.
This Brazilian sports bar in Northeast Philly is the place to be for fans of team Brazil and is hosting not one, but two lively watch parties during the team’s match against Morocco on June 13 and Haiti on June 19. And if you’re only there for the vibes, Guanabara has a rooftop, three types of caipirinhas, and Brazilian-style cheesesteaks.
Known for its supremely satisfying smashburger, this neighborhood bar with a French twist has big plans for the Group Stage. Good King Tavern will open daily starting at 3 p.m. with an extended happy hour that features mini cocktails and street food-style snacks. Its upstairs wine bar, Le Caveau, will also be getting in on the action, which means you can sip a draft negroni and nosh on a fancy hot dog while watching your team of choice.
A bar where you can play 18-holes of mini golf between matches? Sign us up. Libertee Grounds will be gamifying its World Cup watch parties with the Pitch Passport, a punch card that rewards guest for watching every game at the bar-slash-indoor-mini-golf-course. How it works: Earn a punch for each nation when you a watch a match, which are redeemable for rewards such as a free beer, mini golf passes, or a lifetime membership. Drink specials will also be available.
This Chinatown sports bar is committed to soccer year-round, airing everything from Premier League matches to La Liga games on its 35 TVs. Expect the World Cup to be no different. Lion Sports Bar will be airing all matches at its original location and taking over Yamitsuki Ramen across the street for a ticketed open bar and buffet. Also available at both locations: a signature World Cup pink margarita garnished with collectible Lionel Messi stickers.
This longstanding Irish Pub in Center City is the official home of Philly’s Chelsea FC and Manchester City FC clubs, so you can expect that it will be a hub for World Cup games. The bar will air all 104 matches (with the sound on!) across 14 TVs and two projectors. Weeks one and two of the tournament are bringing specials on Michelob Ultra and Stella Artois, plus a ticket giveaway on June 13 for a future match.
The real fun at this rowdy, double-decker sports bar comes during the USMNT’s matches against Paraguay on June 12, Australia on June 19, and Turkey on June 25. The American Outlaws — the official support group for Team USA — will be taking over Top Tomato during those games for block parties with a live DJ that are open to all, no RSVP required.
The newly renovated (and re-christened) Stateside Live! now includes a rooftop bar and beer garden. Just steps away from the action at Philadelphia Stadium, what will it offer soccer fans? The entertainment complex is hosting the official World Cup pregame for ticketholders. A match ticket and $50 will get you expedited entry and access to a tailgate with a food voucher, while $175 buys a spot at a prematch buffet with cheesesteaks, roast pork sandwiches, and open bar.
Stateside Live! will also be open to the general public during all six of Philly’s World Cup games. Matches will be simulcast on the venue’s new outdoor stage alongside a selection of food trucks.
But if you’re looking to keep it extra local during the World Cup, these bars in the Philly suburbs are going above and beyond for the World Cup, from erecting a pop-up beer garden to brewing a special IPA.
The Landing Kitchen, an all-day cafe created by Nicholas Elmi and Fia Berisha at the riverside redevelopment of the Pencoyd Ironworks on July 10, 2021.CHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Located in Bala Cynwyd, just across the Pencoyd Bridge from Manayunk, this all-day riverside cafe with a family friendly vibe will be broadcasting all quarterfinal, semifinal, and finals matches outdoors on a 164-inch screen. Chef Nicholas Elmi will be firing up a smoker for barbecue specials during the games, and guests are strongly encouraged to play bocce or relax at a fire pit during halftime.
Named one of the 10 best bars for watching soccer in the U.S. by the Men in Blazers, Bucks County’s Villa Capri is one of the only bars in the Philadelphia suburbs that has committed to airing all 104 World Cup matches — with the sound on. The Doylestown bar is also rolling a limited-edition cocktail menu for the tournament that includes drinks such as the $14 Equalizer margarita, which comes in passionfruit, pineapple, strawberry, or pomegranate.
This haunt for West Chester University students already has a reputation in Chester County as a Liverpool bar that airs Philadelphia Union games. During the World Cup, Kildare’s is going all in on USMNT. The bar will be shutting down a portion of Gay Street for a free, 21+ watch party during Team USA’s matchup against Paraguay on June 12. Kildare’s will also be showing a selection of other games starting at noon daily, with to-be-announced drink and food specials on offer.
Malvern’s Locust Lane Craft Brewery is hosting a pop-up World Cup beer garden in Upper Merion’s Nor-View Farm Park with free entry from June 11 through July 19. Games will be broadcast on TVs under the park’s pavilion, where attendees can bring their own chairs and enjoy a selection of $8 beers on tap, plus food from the Epicurian Garage Truck. The beer garden will open one hour before the first broadcast game and close before midnight; schedule can be found here.
A former New Jersey Brewery of the Year, Zed’s Beer takes the World Cup as seriously as it takes its brews. The Marlton bar will be airing all Team USA matches, alongside several other key games as designated on the bar’s digital calendar. Also on offer: Soccer-themed quizzo and a new limited-edition IPA called the “48 hops for 48 teams.” Made with hops from each country with a qualifying FIFA team, this beer will be available for the duration of the tournament.
📍19 N. Maple Ave., Ste. A, Marlton, N.J. 📞 856-872-7632, 🌐 drinkzeds.com
