Football fever after dark: inside Tbilisi’s World Cup fan scene

Football may be taking place thousands of miles away, but the 2026 FIFA World Cup has transformed evenings across Tbilisi. From packed sports bars to open-air fan zones, the tournament is bringing together locals, tourists, and businesses despite late-night kickoff times.

“It’s unimaginable for someone not to love the World Cup,” says Rusudan Kacharava, one of the spectators gathered in Tbilisi’s Dedaena Park. Before she can finish her thought, her voice is drowned out by an eruption of cheers.

Portugal has scored. Children wearing Cristiano Ronaldo jerseys leap to their feet, while hundreds of fans celebrate around the giant outdoor screen.

Although Georgia is not competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the tournament has transformed evenings across the capital. Sports bars are extending their opening hours, parks are filling with spectators long after sunset, and football has become a shared experience that draws together locals and international visitors alike.

This year’s tournament, hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, presents a challenge for European audiences. Many matches begin late at night or in the early hours of the morning. Yet in Tbilisi, inconvenient kickoff times have done little to curb enthusiasm. Social media is flooded with invitations to World Cup viewing events, while commuters can be spotted following matches on their phones as they walk through the city.

One of the busiest venues is PUB 44 on Mikheil Zandukeli Street, where manager Tako Kapanadze says the team made a conscious decision to show every match, even if that meant operating almost around the clock.

“In previous tournaments, our working hours still guided us,” she explains. “This year, we decided to give up on comfort and make sure customers could watch every match. The venue operates almost 24 hours a day. When the last game ends, we leave together with the last guest.”

The interview takes place during the Czech Republic–South Africa match. The pub is comfortably busy, though Kapanadze says attendance depends heavily on the fixture list. Matches featuring football’s biggest names consistently attract full houses.

“During major matches, there is often a shortage of seats, but nobody seems to mind,” she says. “People make friends while watching football—even supporters of opposing teams. Sometimes there isn’t even room to walk inside.”

The football culture often extends beyond the final whistle. On several occasions, she says, customers have spilled outside and started their own impromptu matches in the street.

While PUB 44 has become a favorite among dedicated supporters, it is far from the only venue embracing the tournament. Maracana Pub on Tabukashvili Street is screening every match, while Craft Grill & Beer on Beliashvili Street in Vake and Beer Time on Saburtalo’s Kazbegi Avenue have also joined the city’s growing network of football venues. Visitors to this year’s Tbilisi Open Air Festival can also watch matches in a dedicated fan zone.

Perhaps nowhere captures the tournament’s atmosphere better than Dedaena Park. Since the World Cup began, the park’s beer festival has evolved into one of the city’s largest public viewing spaces. Food stalls, local breweries, and a giant screen have turned the riverside park into an evening gathering place where football fans, families, and tourists watch matches together.

By 9 p.m., nearly every table is occupied. Children sit cross-legged on the grass, many wearing the jerseys of their favorite teams, while adults gather around drinks and food as chants ripple through the crowd whenever a goal is scored.

For vendors, the tournament has also brought longer evenings and stronger business.

Khatia Bliadze, representing food vendor Khinkluka, says visitor numbers have steadily increased as awareness of the festival has spread.

“The better and more exciting the match, the more people come,” she says. “Even though the schedule isn’t convenient, we stay open until 1 or 2 a.m. because people stay until then.”

A few feet away, staff at White Owl—a beer vendor—rarely have a quiet moment between customers.

“The crowds haven’t really dropped since June 11, unless the weather gets in the way,” says representative Giorgi Gogidze. “We sell around 200 to 300 beers a day here. It doesn’t matter which teams are playing—people still come.”

For spectators like Rusudan Kacharava, however, the attraction goes beyond football itself. Having followed the sport for more than two decades, she says she enjoys seeing younger generations come together around the tournament.

“I’m disappointed Italy isn’t playing,” she admits. “But it’s still enjoyable to watch.”

She hopes Georgia will qualify for the next World Cup.”If we do,” she says with a laugh, “the whole country will be on its feet.”

Given Georgia’s recent football history, that prediction may not be far-fetched. The national team’s qualification for UEFA EURO 2024 sparked celebrations across the country, with thousands of supporters filling the streets after the historic victory over Greece.

For now, the celebrations belong to others, but that has not stopped Tbilisi from making the World Cup its own.