Football is a popular sport in Munich, with at least one proper football pub in every neighbourhood. But the truly legendary pubs don't just show the games – they also convey why King Football is cherished so much. The “Stadion an der Schleissheimer Strasse“, for example, where you are gripped by the nostalgic feeling of the time when you first fell in love with this sport.
- Stadion an der Schleißheimer Strasse
- Sax
- Vereinsheim
- 70er
- Hopfendolde
- Treffpunkt Sportsbar
- Blue Adria
- Champions
For many, football is more than just the 90 minutes on the pitch, the goals, championship titles and fan culture. Some spend their evenings creating posters for the next stadium choreography, while others passionately play football on the games console. For Holger Britzius, football is life.
Standing at the entrance to Stadion an der Schleissheimer Strasse, he takes a sip of his non-alcoholic “Helles” (light beer). The Stadion is his football pub – and a rarity in Germany. There is no betting here and the Stadion is not affiliated to any club. When you step inside, it feels like you are in a different universe. Holle, as everyone here calls him, greets every guest personally. With all seats reserved, especially on big game nights like the Champions League, Holle has each guest's name written on his slip of paper. By hand, of course.
The Stadion feels like a Panini sticker album come to life. The walls are adorned with jerseys, pennants and stickers from fan clubs. High above the bar is a painting of Maradona, assertively gazing over his shoulder. On the “derby wall“ next to the bar, jerseys from 1860 München hang alongside those of Bayern München and an Offenbach jersey is displayed next to one from Kaiserslautern. How important can rivalries be when you share a love of the same thing? Well, not very important – at least not here. “Our derby wall takes care of that,“ says Britzius. If fans have an issue with rivals watching games together, they can leave immediately. “This gives us a very natural selection process.“
Another notable feature of the Stadion an der Schleissheimer Strasse is that several games can be shown simultaneously on different screens. This unique setup gives Holger Britzius a special role. “I've never poured beer here,“ he explains. “I don't even know how to do that.“ That is why other team members take care of pouring beer, while Britzius focuses on the guests – the actual purpose of the football pub – and ensures that they can enjoy the game they came for. “If I see that fans have to bend over to see the screen, I move them immediately.“ He simply enjoys taking care of his guests.
It is this attention to detail that has earned the Stadion legendary status in Munich. Here, every aspect of the football evening is meticulously organised to create the perfect experience for the guests. The whole establishment thrives on the love not just of the sport, but also of football culture. Various fan clubs, blown away from their hometowns, regularly gather here. Of course, Britzius knows them all and makes sure to place every fan club's pennant on their table.
Britzius has a special relationship with football. “I've watched around 7,000 games in my career,“ he says. Until 2017, he was a football editor and wrote match summaries, with every detail and statistic in his head. His love of football has remained until today, but he is now more interested in everything around it. That's why Britzius organises readings in the Stadion and promotes films about football culture on the shop's Instagram page when there isn't an important match on.
A visit to the Stadion an der Schleissheimer Strasse is like travelling back to the time when the sport first captivated you: the fan chants, the ball passes and all the chaos on and off the pitch. It's old school, but no outdated – football romantics without kitsch. This reminds us that football is much more than a few millionaires and FIFA.
Address: Schleissheimer Strasse 82, 80797 München
The Sax is the official fan get-together venue of VfB Stuttgart. However, you don't have to be a Swabian to watch games there on Bundesliga Saturdays or Champions League evenings. In summer, you can even sit outside under the chestnut tree and watch the ball roll. The menu offers simple dishes and cold beer.
Address: Hans-Sachs-Strasse 5, 80469 München
The name alone, which translates as “clubhouse“, sounds promising – and indeed, the Vereinsheim is not just a football pub. It also describes itself as a “culture pub“ with a stage that regularly hosts concerts, cabaret, stand-up comedy and slams. The rest of the time, football games are screened here: the venue's love of the sport can be recognised by the large fabric banner next to the stage, depicting the 1974 World Cup winning team.
Address: Occamstrasse 8, 80802 München
A place where 1860 München and Bayern fans can sit next to each other without wanting to bite each other's heads off, is clearly doing something right. This rustic football pub in the heart of the Giesing district offers everything a football fan's heart can desire: beer, Munich classics, and a cosy atmosphere. If the match doesn't quite go as you hoped, you can distract yourself with a game of darts.
Address: Tegernseer Landstrasse 34, 81541 München
An evening at the Hopfendolde is as enriching as a pro-seminar in sociology, not only because many students gather here, but also because you can enjoy people-watching just as much as watching football. And if you're in a celebratory mood after a win, the karaoke machine is just a few metres away.
Address: Feilitzschstrasse 17, 80802 München
If a place has screens even in the toilets, this shows that the owners make sure that their guests never miss a moment of the game. This bar boasts eight televisions and two screens. What's special is that different games are on at the same time, so that all fans are catered for.
Address: Schleissheimer Strasse 125, 80797 München
It is true that Blue Adria is an 1860 fan meeting place par excellence. But sometimes, that's exactly the football experience you are looking for: engaging in shoptalk with dedicated fans, all of whom have impressive expertise.
Address: Grünwalder Strasse 9, 81547 München
The Champions Bar at the Marriott Hotel has shone in new splendour since its renovation: on match days, you can watch the action here on three large screens and ten TV monitors. American cuisine is also served - the burgers, ribs and wings are also available in vegetarian or vegan versions.
Address: Berliner Str. 93, 80805 München
