Where To Watch NFL In Rome – Your Complete Fan Guide

If you want to know where to watch NFL in Rome during football season, you should check out these great places for a proper pint of beer and delicious food.

When you are in Rome, there are times that you just want to drink a beer and watch some Football. While the drinking culture in Italy is certainly different than in the US, you can easily find some places that will be familiar to you and provide you with a great evening watching NFL football and enjoying a domestic or imported beer.

How To Watch The NFL In Rome?

The best way to watch the NFL in Rome, if you don’t want to buy a streaming package and watch the NFL at home, is to find an Irish pub and let them know that there is a game you would like to watch. They are the Roman equivalent of an American sports bar, but with better food, beer and service. Oh, and you are also in Rome!

Is American Football Popular In Italy?

That is an interesting question because it seems less popular than I would’ve expected. As you will see below, there are a number of places that offer the opportunity to watch your favorite team play. We went during the Playoffs and there were only a couple of tables with obvious fans, but it was a Buffalo/Cincinnati game with a smaller fan base, so that might have factored into the crowd. Clearly, Soccer (Calcio) is on a different scale here, but you can find an NFL game if you want to.

What Do Italian People Call American Football?

As mentioned above, soccer in Italy is called Calcio and in Europe it is Football (Fùtbol), so to add to the confusion, NFL games are called Football Americano. When multiple teams are playing during the season, it will be helpful to know the names of both teams to let the staff know what you want to watch. During the playoffs, it should be easier.

Where To Watch The NFL In Rome?

With a little effort, you can find a few places, maybe even one close to you, where you can watch NFL games live. Remember the 6 hour time zone difference, because you might only be able to watch the early game because in general, the pubs will close at 2:00 am.

Also, don’t forget about RAI TV. They don’t show regular season games, but I was happy to watch the Superbowl and Thanksgiving games last year from the comfort of my home, and for free. All other games will require you to venture out.

Watch Live NFL At The Shamrock Pub

The Shamrock Pub Roma is located close to the Roman Forum end of Via Cavour at Via del Colosseo 1/c. It is an Irish pub that, because of its central location, attracts a mixture of local regulars and tourists on their way to and from the popular sites in the area.

You can enjoy a beer and with it, a strong emphasis on sports, rugby and football (soccer) in particular, and I’m sure they will put American football on one of their screens for you. The pub shows a wide range of sports, but customers can also enjoy a game of table football or darts.

The Shamrock Pub has a lively atmosphere and the friendly staff is ready with a wide range of beers and spirits. We went to the Shamrock Pub with the intention of enjoying some bar food, and we were not disappointed. I chose some nachos and some other light snacks and they were prepared well, served quickly and really added a lot to the experience. I intentionally chose a “Mexican/American” snack as a test and the chips and the salsas/dips were fresh and tasty. As a further test, I chose a Guinness, and again, it hit the spot.

The Scholars Lounge Offers Live NFL Games

I’ve had it on my list to check out the Scholars Lounge ever since we moved to Rome, but for whatever reason, it didn’t happen until recently. I was interested in watching Live NFL playoffs, and after seeing a sign posted on the door advertising the American Football games, we decided to check it out.

This pub is a large space that, in addition to the large number of screens dedicated to sports, hosts live music, Karaoke and a Trivia Night. It is owned and staffed by Irish people, English is spoken by default and the menu is in English with Italian subtitles. One difference is that you pay your check after every order. We asked about it, and it allows for easily changing tables and it is in response to a high number of walkouts, or as I knew it: Dine-and-Ditch.

Like our other trips to Irish pubs, I ordered what would traditionally be “Mexican/American” food, i.e. Nachos. They arrived hot, with multiple sauces, covered in cheese and jalapenos. A delicious representation of a great food for football. We also enjoyed chicken strips that were fried perfectly and seasoned with pepper with a BBQ dipping sauce. After enjoying these with a couple of pints of Guinness, we decided to order some “Irish” food, so I ordered some Bangers and Mash, with plans to try the Full Irish Breakfast when I’m more hungry. They were fantastic! Hot and crispy, with mashed potatoes that were fantastically covered in gravy. I’m excited to go back and try some other traditional dishes!

As for watching American Football, they dedicated one room for watching the NFL, with the other rooms and TVs showing Soccer (football/calcio). Once we told them that we were interested in watching American Football, they grabbed a table for us in the dedicated room and helped move us over. They couldn’t have been more friendly and helpful. I’m note sure how many people were there to watch the NFL, but we spotted a few fans.

Can You Watch Live NFL Games At Giulia & Sisto?

Our great experience with Giulia & Sisto was based on a big misunderstanding. When we moved to Rome in 2021, we saw signs and banners that indicated this restaurant was a sports bar, called the Shamrock Restaurant, with a rooftop bar and plenty of TVs. When we walked in, it was clearly not a sports bar, and in fact, I felt a little underdressed.

We powered ahead and asked the very friendly staff if we could watch American Football, which was less likely than expected because the restaurant isn’t filled with TVs. Surprisingly they said “Yes” and brought us down to a private space in the basement that does have some very large TVs. They fired up the game we wanted to watch, took our orders and let us shout at the TV in peace. They were very accommodating and responsive to our requests.

The food was a great experience as well. We ordered some pizzas that were lighter and softer than a traditional Roman pizza, which was great. Also, since we were watching NFL games, I wanted to order some chicken wings to see what that means in Rome. While they certainly aren’t Buffalo-style chicken wings, they weren’t trying to be. They were cooked perfectly well with a nice crunch and lightly seasoned with a peppery sauce. I liked them quite a bit. If you can get the private room in the basement, I highly recommend it!

Other Places To Watch NFL Games Live

This list is by no means exhaustive. It’s just a couple places that we enjoyed and recommend for the NFL fan visiting or living in Rome during the season. If you are interested in some other places that might be worth visiting, I can’t give a personal recommendation, but I have read that other people speak highly of these:

• The Highlander – This is a cozy little Scottish pub located in the heart of Rome. You can watch NFL games at this lively pub located near the Pantheon at: Vicolo di S. Biagio, 9
• La Botticella – Located near Piazza Navona, they have created the classic pub atmosphere and it is a perfect spot for all major sporting events.
• Abbey Theatre Irish Pub – Also located near Piazza Navona, this pub is close to my Dentist, and it is spread over two floors, with Irish cocktails, Whiskeys and of course Guinness. They would be happy to show NFL games live.
• The Flann O’Brien – This Irish pub is a tourist favorite because it is located on via Nazionale, 17, close to Piazza della Repubblica.

If you enjoyed this article about where to watch NFL in Rome, and you are looking for more information on the Italian language and Culture, you should check out some of these posts:

• Is It Illegal To Speak English In Italy?
• Top 13 Idiomatic Expressions In Italian You Should Learn.
• Learning The Italian language Online Is Easy!
• How To Make Friends In Rome While Embracing The Culture.
• Italian Language Schools You Should Check Out.
• The Best Way To Learn Italian Online.
• The Roman Dialect Is Tricky And We Are Here To Help You.
• Do Italians Drink Beer More Than Wine With Dinner?
• The Best Irish Bar In Rome Is Waiting To Pour You A Pint.
• Finally, This Is A Link To A Collection Of Exciting Italian Culture Posts.