Timezones and ambiguous curfews make watching international sports a tough undertaking. There have been reports of police cracking down on certain bars for not closing by 10pm. The time difference for Rio de Janeiro is fierce, 9 and a half hours, which will make live-viewings difficult. That said, expect Track & Field to be shown in teashops and beer stations around the city, a Myanmar male runner and female runner both qualified this year. Opening ceremony is this Saturday.
Here is a list of some places to watch games. New places will be added as the event goes on.
Downtown
50th Street Bar & Grill
Opening Hours 1030am-1am
All of the major games will be televised live, as long as they are before 10pm. You can expect replays of popular events to be shown throughout the day. Contact them if you want to watch a specific match, they may be able to accommodate you.
Gallery Bar at Shangri-La Hotel
Opening Hours 3pm-1am, Happy Hour 530pm-730pm
Great spot to watch the Olympics if you’re looking for comfortable seating and a quieter atmosphere compared to other sport bars. Happy hour from 6pm-8pm. They stop serving booze after midnight but will happily refrigerate beers bottles you weren’t able to open.
Union Bar & Grill
Opening Hours 11am-11pm
A large flat screen TV will be showing Olympic games that are on during business hours. You should be able to catch morning games in Rio.
Fat Ox
Opening Hours Afternoon-1am (Later on the weekends)
Open until they close. Fat Ox is an easy bet for games with European competitors.
Uptown
Sports Bar Mya Neik Nyo
Opening Hours 530pm-3am
An outdoor local bar equipped with tiki torches, picnic tables and a large projector for the game. If you feel like a different sports bar experience, this local favourite is your place to go. They play all sporting events as they come on live. No recordings, and nothing before 530pm which is when they open. Besides the Track matches with Myanmar competitors, England and other Southeast countries tend to be favored programming.
This one can be hard to find: Pale Rd, West of Kabar Aye Pagoda and South of Kanbawza Road // 09 731 32161
Savoy Hotel
Opening Hours 11am-1am
The Captain’s Bar is more known for international football matches during, now they have the chance to host Olympic watch parties for games before 1am. This is a favourite amongst German sports-lovers, so expect games with German competitors to be dominate the programming. Most matches will be on the TV behind the bar but heavily anticipated matches will be projected. No entry fee, open to the public.
Harry’s
Opening Hours 11am-1am
The new bar & restaurant in Myanmar Plaza will also be showing the matches on a large projector. Reserve your table at 09 7777 08395.
Time Out at Novotel
Opening Hours 530pm-11pm
Live games as long as it comes before 5pm, their opening hour. It can be hard to find a seat if you’re late, yet there is plenty of room to stand. The crowd at Time Out is diverse, so what’s on the TV will be a reflection of who shows up, could be East Asian businessmen or European businessmen.
Half of the part is a dim lounge with a bar and stool seating. The other half is a living room/den environment designed with male sporting sympathies. The sectional couch, with it’s own TV, is the best place to seat especially if you’re with a large group.
