Thanks in no small part to the grim inevitability of linear time, it seems that the FIFA World Cup has finally come round once more. And unless you’ve been living under a rock - or some kind of elaborate rock formation – you’re probably well aware of what’s going down and where. Just in case, though, here’s a quick low-down of this year’s tournament: it’s taking place in Russia, it’ll carry on through June and half of July, and our particular national team will more than likely do no better than ‘just okay’. Here’s the big question, though: where to watch it?

Well, everyone knows that football is best watched as a community; preferably a drunk one. So why not call up your friends, get out the house and try weeping into your England shirt at one of these dynamite bars or pubs? Beats staying home and doing it.

Bierkeller

Bierkeller, down in Liverpool ONE, is ground zero for the city’s World Cup celebrations. We're talking dozens of LED TVs and project screens, a range of great drinks (including draught beers which come in steins) plus a whole range of upcoming fixtures to watch and enjoy. Its central location also means that it’s likely to become pretty rammed on match days, making for a thrilling – if raucous – atmosphere. That, of course, is if you can bear the thought of watching England play in a German-themed bar. We totally get it if you can’t. 6-8 Thomas Steers Way, Liverpool L1 8LW

Love and Rockets

If you’re after something a bit more subdued, however, you can do no better than Love and Rockets. Located on Lark Lane, this colourful pub and garden serve some of the city’s finest guest ales along with a casual dining menu which offers pizza, wings, hot dogs and nachos – the perfect complement to a beer and a match. It’s surprisingly large inside too, meaning that, unless it fills to the brim (unlikely, if you ask us) during matches, you’ve got every chance of finding a seat or a table with a decent view of their TV screens. 52 Lark Ln, Liverpool L17 8UU

Boston Pool Loft

What’s better than watching sports? Playing sports. And what’s better than playing sports? Playing sports while you’re watching them. Eat your heart out, Inception. Boston Pool Loft offer pool (obviously), snooker, shuffle board, pinball and table tennis to anyone with that competitive itch, all of which can be played while making the most of their extensive range of drinks. Naturally, they're showing basically every World Cup match on their big screens, too. Definitely the spot of choice if just sitting and watching TV gets you all restless.

Camp and Furnace

If the idea of hunkering down in a rowdy city centre pub sounds like your worst nightmare, we’d recommend getting yourself over to Camp and Furnace. This Baltic Triangle favourite is a bar, restaurant, music venue and pop-up event space situated inside a deeply atmospheric industrial-style venue. Their drinks menu is extensive and they do a damn good roast on Sundays, too. Camp and Furnace are showing each of the tournament’s biggest fixtures in their huge fanpark area, which boasts multiple screens and bars, as well as a relatively intimate - yet vibrant - atmosphere. 67 Greenland St, Liverpool L1 0BY

Pogue Mahones

Liverpool is chock-full of Irish bars, but few of them replicate that quiet Celtic charm quite like Pogue Mahones. Warm, friendly and affordable, this Seel Street pub is showing every single World Cup match from now until July's final. It’s probably not your best bet if you’re after large-scale celebrations and endless, chanting crowds, but hey – sometimes all you need is a Guinness and some mates. 77 Seel St, Liverpool L1 4BB

Motel Bar

Fleet Street’s Motel Bar is a neat little gem, hidden away behind an innocuous red door and a bright neon ‘MOTEL’ sign which, frankly, is nothing if not deceptive. Inside, however, it's a gorgeous, vibrant cocktail of modern and traditional decor, all accentuated by the occasional flash of a disco ball or the low glow of a string of paper lanterns. It’s cool, basically. And yes, of course they’re showing the World Cup. That’s a given, isn’t it? But that's not all – Motel Bar also happens to be open until 3am on weekends, leaving you plenty of time to celebrate (or commiserate) deep into the night. 5-7 Fleet St, Liverpool L1 4AR

The Brookhouse

Smithdown Road’s Brookhouse is about as ‘pub’ as a pub can get. Roasts on Sundays, pool to tide you over between matches, an admirable drinks selection and a lovely outdoor area in which to enjoy those sunny summer evenings – what more could you possibly want? The Brookhouse are showing every minute of this year's tournament, and are also offering bookable beer towers, priority seating with reservations and a host of other goodies. If you’re not booking ahead, get there early – it’s a popular haunt for the area’s football fans, and likely to fill up quickly. 467 Smithdown Rd, Liverpool L15 5AE

Cabin Berry St

Sometimes the only antidote to the crushing disappointment of a World Cup failure can be a bit of good old-fashioned indulgence. If that’s the case, get yourself over to Cabin - a new-ish spot on Berry Street (they opened about a year ago) which serves gin, cocktails and Prosecco in the building that once housed the legendary Cabin Club. They're showing every match on their big screens, so you've got no excuse for missing a single one of England’s seemingly perpetual defeats. But hey, look on the bright side: Prosecco! 15-19 Berry Street L1 9DF