Spain are world champions for the second time.
La Roja defeated Argentina 1–0 after extra time in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday, July 19. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute, ending Argentina’s title defence and returning Spain to the top of world football for the first time since 2010.
The final began at 1:00 pm in Mérida, filling sports bars, pubs, restaurant dining rooms and smaller neighborhood venues across the city.
The tournament may be over, but it clarified where travelers can reliably watch an important football match in Mérida. Some places offer dozens of screens and reserved seating. Others provide a more ordinary local experience: tacos, cold beer and one television above the counter.
Updated July 20, 2026: Spain have won the 2026 World Cup. This guide now combines a tournament recap with an evergreen list of Mérida’s strongest football-viewing options.
Hero image: Spain’s 2010 World Cup title celebration. Photograph by Christophe Badoux, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Spain’s 2026 World Cup victory
Spain defeated Argentina at the New York New Jersey Stadium after a tense final remained goalless through 90 minutes.
Argentina entered extra time with ten players following the dismissal of Enzo Fernández near the end of regulation. Spain continued to control possession and eventually found the breakthrough when Nico Williams headed the ball into the path of Ferran Torres.
Torres finished the move in the 106th minute.
The result gave Spain its second men’s World Cup title, 16 years after winning in South Africa in 2010.
Spain’s route to the title
Spain began the competition with a quiet draw but became increasingly convincing as the tournament progressed.
| Stage | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Group H | Spain vs Cape Verde | 0–0 |
| Group H | Spain vs Saudi Arabia | 4–0 |
| Group H | Uruguay vs Spain | 0–1 |
| Round of 32 | Spain vs Austria | 3–0 |
| Round of 16 | Portugal vs Spain | 0–1 |
| Quarterfinal | Spain vs Belgium | 2–1 |
| Semifinal | France vs Spain | 0–2 |
| Final | Spain vs Argentina | 1–0 after extra time |
Spain conceded only one goal during the entire tournament. The team survived narrow knockout matches against Portugal and Belgium before producing its most controlled performance against France in the semifinal.
The final followed the same pattern. Argentina defended stubbornly, but Spain maintained pressure until Torres settled the tournament in extra time.
How Mérida watched the World Cup
The 2026 tournament showed that there is no single football-viewing culture in Mérida.
In north Mérida, larger venues such as Playoff, El Original, Boston’s Pizza and La Mentira offered multiple screens, air conditioning and space for groups.
Closer to Centro, Monk’s, Hennessy’s, La Campana Grande, Bar Vagón and Bar & Déco provided smaller rooms and a more social atmosphere.
Elsewhere, casual restaurants, cantinas and taquerías showed matches without presenting themselves as formal sports bars. These informal televisions often provided the most local atmosphere, although they were less dependable for a fixture that viewers could not afford to miss.
Public Fan Zones also formed part of the tournament, especially during Mexico’s matches, but these were temporary events rather than permanent football-viewing sites.
The quick answer
| Place | Best for | Area | Main drawback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playoff | Strongest overall sports-bar setup | City 32 | Requires transport from Centro |
| Monk’s Irish Pub | Big screens and a smaller pub atmosphere | Santiago | Live music may affect match audio |
| Hennessy’s Irish Pub | International pub atmosphere | Paseo de Montejo | Screen views vary by table |
| El Original Montejo | Local groups, food and several screens | Several northern branches | Confirm the branch and exact match |
| Boston’s Pizza | Families and large mixed groups | Several branches | Some branches open too late for early kickoffs |
| Lapa Lapa | Casual local crowd, food and beer | Several branches | Screen layout varies by branch |
| La Condesa Cantina | Mexican food with sports audio | North Mérida | Less convenient from Centro |
| El Sindicato SportBar | Neighborhood sports-bar atmosphere | Melchor Ocampo | More basic than the northern venues |
| La Campana Grande | Old-school Centro sports bar | Santiago | Smaller and less polished |
| La Mentira | Large screen and event atmosphere | North Mérida | Confirm the current programme |
| Bar Vagón | Solo travelers and hostel guests | Calle 47 | Small room and limited seating |
| Bar & Déco | Dinner with occasional football | Calle 64 | Not every match is guaranteed |
How to choose
For a final, a Mexico match or another fixture you do not want to miss, choose a venue that confirms the match directly. Reserve a table and ask whether it faces the main screen.
For an ordinary league match, a local restaurant, cantina or taquería can be more relaxed and more representative of everyday Mérida. The trade-off is uncertainty. There may be one small screen, muted commentary or another game showing.
Mérida remains on Central Standard Time throughout the year. Cancún and the Riviera Maya are one hour ahead, so do not use a Quintana Roo kickoff time without converting it.
1. Playoff at City 32
Best overall for screens and a purpose-built sports-bar setup
Playoff remains the safest first choice when viewing quality matters more than location. It has numerous televisions, a large central seating area and a layout designed around sport and group entertainment.
The venue works particularly well for finals, major international matches and groups where several people need a clear view.
Area: City 32, north Mérida
Best for: serious match watching, groups and families
Planning note: reserve for major fixtures and request a table facing the principal screen
City 32 is well north of Centro. Use a taxi, Uber, DiDi or private vehicle.
2. Monk’s Irish Pub
Best for a smaller sports-pub atmosphere near Santiago
Monk’s combines an Irish-pub format with large screens and live sport. It is convenient for travelers staying around Santiago and the western side of Centro.
It feels less corporate than the larger northern sports bars and works well for couples or smaller groups.
Area: near Mercado de Santiago
Best for: couples, small groups and evening matches
Planning note: ask whether live music overlaps with the match and whether commentary will be audible
Open Monk’s Irish Pub in Google Maps
3. Hennessy’s Irish Pub
Best for an established international pub near Paseo de Montejo
Hennessy’s attracts local regulars, foreign residents and travelers. It is a practical option from Santa Ana and the southern end of Paseo de Montejo.
The pub is particularly useful when a European league or international match is likely to attract an overseas crowd.
Hennessy's Irish Pub in Mérida
Area: Paseo de Montejo
Best for: couples, solo travelers and Centro visitors
Planning note: request an indoor table with a direct screen view
Open Hennessy’s in Google Maps
4. El Original Montejo
Best for a local restaurant atmosphere with a full meal
El Original has several Mérida branches and has actively promoted major football screenings.
It works well for groups that want Yucatecan and Mexican food rather than a conventional pub menu. The atmosphere is usually more restaurant-led than football-led, but important matches can become the focus of the room.
Area: several branches in north Mérida
Best for: local groups, families and dinner with the match
Planning note: call the exact branch because opening times, promotions and screen layouts differ
Find El Original Montejo in Google Maps
5. Boston’s Pizza
Best for families and mixed groups
Boston’s is not the most local choice, but it provides air conditioning, familiar food and multiple screens.
The Gran Plaza and Altabrisa branches are practical for travelers staying in north Mérida. Families may find it easier than a crowded pub, particularly when children need a complete meal and more space.
Best for: children, large groups and a full meal
Planning note: one branch may open specially for a major match while another keeps normal restaurant hours
Find Boston’s Pizza branches in Mérida
6. Lapa Lapa
Best for casual food, beer and a lively local crowd
Lapa Lapa is a familiar Mérida restaurant-bar brand with several branches. It promoted screenings and match-day packages during the 2026 World Cup.
It provides a useful middle ground between a purpose-built sports bar and an ordinary local restaurant.
Area: several branches across Mérida
Best for: groups, affordable shared food and a less tourist-oriented atmosphere
Planning note: choose the branch carefully and ask which screen your table will face
Find Lapa Lapa branches in Google Maps
7. La Condesa Cantina
Best for Mexican food with the match audio on
La Condesa offers a cantina-style menu and screens used for Liga MX, Champions League and other sporting events.
It is useful when you want a Mexican restaurant atmosphere without giving up the possibility of audible commentary.
Area: north Mérida
Best for: groups, Mexican food and important club matches
Planning note: confirm the event and reserve where the screen is directly visible
Open La Condesa Cantina in Google Maps
8. El Sindicato SportBar
Best for a straightforward neighborhood sports bar
El Sindicato is smaller and more basic than Playoff, but it has multiple screens and a local crowd.
It suits travelers who care more about an ordinary neighborhood atmosphere than polished interiors or a large entertainment complex.
Area: Melchor Ocampo
Best for: inexpensive drinks, local atmosphere and daytime fixtures
Planning note: confirm card acceptance, minimum-spend rules and the exact match before arriving
Open El Sindicato SportBar in Google Maps
9. La Campana Grande Sport Bar
Best for an old-school option in Santiago
La Campana Grande is a longstanding Centro sports bar serving a more traditional local crowd.
It is smaller and rougher around the edges than City 32, but it is easier to reach on foot from Santiago and nearby parts of Centro.
Area: Barrio de Santiago
Best for: local atmosphere, Yucatecan food and Centro access
Planning note: contact the venue before making it your only plan for a major match
Open La Campana Grande in Google Maps
10. La Mentira Gastro Bar
Best for a large screen and an event-style atmosphere
La Mentira is organized around a stage and large screen rather than many small televisions.
It works for groups that want shared food, drinks and a match that feels like a scheduled event. It is less suitable when no specific screening has been announced.
Area: near Prolongación Paseo de Montejo
Best for: groups and a louder atmosphere
Planning note: confirm the current programme and opening time directly
Open La Mentira in Google Maps
11. Bar Vagón at Hostik
Best for solo travelers and a social Centro crowd
Bar Vagón is a small venue connected with Hostik Hostal near La Plancha. It promoted football screenings during the World Cup and is convenient for travelers staying around Calle 47.
The room is social and easy for solo travelers, but capacity is limited.
Area: Calle 47, Centro
Best for: solo travelers and hostel guests
Planning note: message ahead, ask whether non-guests are welcome and arrive early
12. Bar & Déco
Best for a smaller group that wants dinner and occasional football
Bar & Déco is a Centro restaurant-bar that has promoted match screenings.
It is more suitable for a dinner-led evening than a complete sports-bar experience. Choose it when the meal and setting matter as much as the fixture.
Area: Calle 64, Centro
Best for: couples and small groups
Planning note: confirm the exact match before reserving
Open Bar & Déco in Google Maps
Watching football in a taquería or cantina
Many neighborhood taquerías, cantinas and casual restaurants in Mérida keep a television above the counter or mounted on a dining-room wall.
During an important Mexico or Liga MX match, or a major baseball or boxing event, that television can gradually become the focus of the room even though the business does not describe itself as a sports bar.
This can feel more natural than reserving a table surrounded by twenty screens. You may be eating tacos beneath one television while staff and regular customers react together.
It is also unpredictable.
The screen may be small, the commentary may be muted and another game or television programme may take priority. Many taquerías open in the late afternoon, ruling them out for earlier kickoffs.
Taquerías El Ñero is a visible example of this format and has Mérida branches. Its published opening hours begin later in the day, making it more suitable for evening football than daytime fixtures.
Find Taquerías El Ñero in Mérida
This approach works when you are flexible and the food matters as much as the match. For a final or a fixture involving your own team, use a confirmed sports bar.
What happened to the public Fan Zones?
The Government of Yucatán and several municipalities operated temporary Fan Zones and public screens during the 2026 World Cup, particularly around Mexico’s matches.
Estadio Kukulcán in Mérida was one of the principal locations. Selected events and temporary activations also appeared in Centro and in municipalities including Progreso, Izamal and Valladolid.
These were tournament programmes, not permanent public viewing sites.
Do not travel to Estadio Kukulcán, Plaza Grande, Calle 47 or another municipal venue expecting a football screen unless a new announcement names the exact match and date.
Plaza Grande in Mérida
Where to watch football after the World Cup
The end of the tournament does not make these venues irrelevant.
Liga MX, the UEFA Champions League, major European leagues, international tournaments, boxing and baseball continue to appear on screens around Mérida.
The strongest permanent options remain:
- Playoff for the clearest sports-bar setup.
- Monk’s and Hennessy’s for a pub atmosphere near Centro.
- El Original, Boston’s and Lapa Lapa for groups that want a full meal.
- La Condesa, El Sindicato and La Campana Grande for a more local setting.
- Bar Vagón for solo travelers.
- La Mentira for specially promoted big-screen events.
Schedules will become less predictable outside the World Cup. A venue may show Liga MX every week but not open early for a Premier League match. Always contact the exact branch.
Questions to ask before reserving
- ¿Van a transmitir el partido de [equipo] contra [equipo]? — Are you showing the match?
- ¿Van a poner el audio? — Will the commentary be on?
- ¿A qué hora van a abrir? — What time will you open?
- ¿Necesito reservar? — Do I need to reserve?
- ¿Hay consumo mínimo? — Is there a minimum spend?
- ¿La mesa tiene vista directa a una pantalla? — Does the table face a screen?
A venue saying it shows football is not enough. Confirm the exact fixture, date, kickoff time and branch.
Match-day advice
Reserve ahead for finals, important international matches and popular Liga MX fixtures.
Arrive 45 to 60 minutes before kickoff when the screen view matters. A table may technically be near a television while still providing a poor angle.
Choose air conditioning for afternoon matches. Mérida is hot and humid for much of the year, and a covered patio can remain uncomfortable.
Plan the ride home before the final whistle. Taxi and rideshare waiting times may increase when a busy venue empties at once.
Bring a small amount of cash when choosing a neighborhood venue. Larger restaurants generally accept cards, but informal bars and taquerías may have different payment arrangements.
Our recommendation
Choose Playoff when screen quality is the priority.
Choose Monk’s or Hennessy’s for a pub atmosphere near Centro. Choose El Original or Boston’s for a complete group meal. Choose Lapa Lapa, La Condesa, El Sindicato or La Campana Grande when you prefer a more local setting.
Try the television in a taquería only when you are comfortable improvising. It can provide the most ordinary Mérida experience, but it is not the best option for a match you cannot miss.
For the next step, use the Plan hub to compare itineraries, transport and practical resources already available.
