Panama vs England: Match-Day Restaurant Guide
Saturday evening kickoff. Hoboken's EPL pub scene has been rehearsing for this match for years. Every English football fan in the tri-state area will converge on a handful of bars. Panama's fans will rally in the Latin American corridors of Paterson, Passaic, and Union City. This is the pub match.
Why is this the pub match?
England brings a football pub culture that has no equivalent. Watching the match at a pub is not a consolation prize for not having a ticket. It is the preferred experience for a large portion of the fanbase. North Jersey's English and Irish pubs know this. They have been showing Premier League matches at 7:30 AM on Saturdays for years. A 5:00 PM World Cup match on a Saturday is exactly what they are built for.
Governor Murphy chose Mulligan's Pub in Hoboken to announce the state's World Cup preparations. That was not an accident. Hoboken's pub culture is the England match-day experience in North Jersey.
Where should England fans eat and watch near MetLife Stadium?
Hoboken is the center of English football watch culture in North Jersey. Pubs along Washington Street and surrounding blocks show every Premier League match, Champions League fixture, and England international. For the World Cup, these venues will add outdoor screens, extended hours, and match-day food specials.
Hoboken
Mulligan's Pub
Hoboken, NJ
Where Governor Murphy made the state's World Cup announcement. A fixture of Hoboken's soccer bar scene. Shows every Premier League and England match. Expect this to be the unofficial England HQ for the tournament. Arrive early. Hours early.
Madd Hatter
Hoboken, NJ
40+ screens. When people say they watched a match "at a sports bar in Hoboken," this is often the one. The sheer number of screens means you can see the match from any seat. For a 5:00 PM Saturday match, the crowd will be enormous.
The Claddagh
Hoboken, NJ
Irish pub with a strong football following. Fish and chips, shepherd's pie, and Guinness. The atmosphere skews traditional pub. Good for fans who want the match without the mega-sports-bar energy.
Shakespeare Pub
North Jersey
English-style pub that caters to the EPL crowd. Match-day atmosphere with English beers, meat pies, and full English breakfast on weekend mornings. A more intimate setting than the big Hoboken sports bars.
Hoboken is a neighborhood block party zone.
The city has approved 6 neighborhood block parties during the World Cup. For the Panama vs England match on a Saturday evening, expect Washington Street and side streets to be packed with outdoor viewing. Walk from bar to bar. The entire town becomes the experience.
What to eat at an English pub
Fish and Chips
The match-day standard. Beer-battered cod or haddock with thick-cut fries. Malt vinegar on the table. Every pub on this list does a version.
Meat Pies
Steak and ale pie, chicken and leek pie, or shepherd's pie. The real English match-day food. Filling and one-handed.
Bangers and Mash
Sausages with mashed potatoes and onion gravy. Pub comfort food. Pairs with a bitter or a stout.
English Ales and Bitters
Ask for what is on cask or on tap from English breweries. Boddingtons, Fuller's London Pride, Old Speckled Hen. The pub staff will know.
Where can I find Panamanian food in North Jersey?
The Panamanian community in North Jersey is smaller than other Latin American communities but present in Paterson, Passaic, and Union City. Panamanian cuisine shares roots with Caribbean and Central American cooking. You will find Panamanian dishes at Central American restaurants and through community events, especially on match day when the community gathers.
Paterson, Passaic, and Union City
Central American Restaurants
Market St and Main St, Paterson; Main Ave, Passaic; Bergenline Ave, Union City
Panamanian dishes appear on menus alongside Honduran, Salvadoran, and Colombian food. Look for sancocho (chicken soup with root vegetables), carimañolas (yuca fritters stuffed with seasoned meat), and patacones (twice-fried green plantains). Ask the staff what is Panamanian on the menu. They will point you right.
Bergenline Avenue, Union City
Union City, NJ
One of the longest commercial corridors in New Jersey. Latin American restaurants, bakeries, and markets stretch for blocks. The mix of Central American, Caribbean, and South American cuisines means you can find Panamanian-style dishes here. Union City is about 8 miles from MetLife.
What to order if this is your first time
Sancocho
Panama's national soup. Chicken, yuca, name (yam), otoe, corn, and cilantro in a clear broth. Comforting and restorative. Every family has their version.
Carimañolas
Yuca dough stuffed with seasoned ground beef, shaped into torpedoes, and deep-fried. Crispy outside, soft inside. The Panamanian empanada.
Arroz con Pollo
Chicken and rice cooked together with sofrito, olives, and vegetables. The everyday meal. Every Panamanian restaurant and home kitchen makes it.
Patacones
Green plantains, fried once, flattened, fried again. Served as a side or topped with ceviche. Crunchy and addictive.
What does match day look like for Panama vs England?
Saturday evening. The best slot for a pub match. Here is how the day unfolds.
Morning
English pubs in Hoboken are already open for earlier World Cup matches on other channels. The crowd starts building early.
Noon to 2:00 PM
Eat lunch. Panamanian food in Paterson or Union City. Fish and chips in Hoboken. This is your last window for a relaxed meal.
2:00 to 4:00 PM
Claim your spot. If watching at a Hoboken pub, be there by 3:00 PM at the latest. If going to the stadium, NJ Transit trains fill from 3:00 PM onward. Gates open around 3:00 PM.
5:00 PM
Kickoff. Hoboken block parties in full swing. Every pub standing room only. Paterson and Union City community watch parties active.
After the match
Saturday night in Hoboken. The celebration continues regardless of the result. Extended bar hours apply under Governor Murphy's World Cup legislation. NJ Transit runs extra trains post-match.
How do I get to MetLife Stadium from these restaurants?
From Hoboken
NJ Transit from Hoboken Terminal to Secaucus Junction, then the Meadowlands line. About 25-35 minutes. This is the easiest connection of any match-day restaurant hub to MetLife. If you are eating and watching in Hoboken, you do not need to go to the stadium at all.
From Paterson/Passaic
Drive south on Route 21 or Route 17 to East Rutherford (10-15 miles). Saturday traffic will be lighter than weekday but World Cup traffic adds congestion near the stadium. Use American Dream Mall parking ($225) or Hackensack Meridian shuttle ($80).
From Union City
About 8 miles from MetLife. Rideshare is the fastest option (15-20 minutes, drop-off at Meadowlands Racing). NJ Transit Bus 165/166 to Port Authority, then train to Secaucus and Meadowlands, is cheaper but longer.
No parking at MetLife Stadium.
The lot is reserved for FIFA operations. American Dream Mall ($225) is the only nearby parking. NJ Transit is the default for all matches. For a Saturday evening match, the Hoboken-Secaucus-Meadowlands route is fast and well-served.