Best of KC 2026: Not Just every four years—soccer bars score in KC
Fans gather at Varsity Club for the final Premier League 2026 match day // Photo by Kylie Volavongsa
Earlier this month, we published The Pitch’s annual Best of Kansas City issue. You can take a peek at the results of the readers’ poll here. The issue also included a list, compiled and written by our editorial staff, of some local people, places, and things that we think make 2026 KC life feel like a winner. We’ll be publishing these online throughout June and July.
We don’t call ourselves the Soccer Capital of America for nothing.
While our own teams are in a rough patch at the time of writing (…some more than others), it’s the watching that’s electric. If you’ve got an allegiance, catch a Spurs match at Strange Days Brewing Co. by the River Market or head to Johnny’s Tavern at Power & Light to find friendship with the Gooners.
Got a preference for German soccer? They’ve got Bundesliga on the screens at KC Bier Co. on weekend mornings. And if you simply love the beautiful game for what it is, head to casual cocktail bar Varsity Club, with Disco Burger on its patio, for a more agnostic experience of the Premier League and international footy.
Courtesy of The Dub
We’d argue that Varsity Club has some of the best Guinness pours in the city with which you can “plant the flag”—a local version of splitting the G that involves drinking to the bottom of the VC glass’s flag logo.
Another great thing about Kansas City, too, is our love for the women’s game. Catch that at The Dub, one of only a handful of dedicated women’s sports bars in the country, and a reliable host of KC Current watch parties.
