Monday May 18th 2026
The Counting House Wetherspoons
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Drew Sandelands
A popular Glasgow Wetherspoon pub has secured permission to show televised sport ahead of Scotland’s World Cup campaign.
The Counting House, on St Vincent Place, was one of four venues to get the green light to screen football matches from the city’s licensing board on Friday.
Karaoke club Cosmopol, on Hope Street, will also be able to show World Cup fixtures, while the visitor centre at Tennent’s Wellpark brewery now has permission for televised sport in its licence too.
Racket Barn, a padel and pickleball complex in Govan, was granted occasional licences, allowing games to be shown during the tournament.
Scotland’s men’s national team is making its first appearance at a World Cup since 1998, with the competition kicking off on Thursday, June 11.
Steve Clarke’s side begin the campaign against Haiti on Sunday, June 14, with the game scheduled to kick off at 2am. They will then play Morocco at 11pm on Friday, June 19 and Brazil at 11pm on Wednesday, June 24.
With the United States of America, Canada and Mexico hosting the major football tournament, many kick-off times will be late in the evening or in the early hours of the morning in the UK.
Glasgow’s licensing board previously granted a general trading extension to on-sale licensed premises during World Cup matches.
It will allow clubs, pubs and other on-sales venues, which already televise sport, to remain open and trading for up to an extra 30 minutes after the end of play for the duration of the tournament.
At Friday’s board meeting, Stephen McGowan, the licensing lawyer representing the Counting House, said: “I’m sure we are all very much behind Steve Clarke and his men.
“I know your honours have granted permission for extensions, but there are one or two premises across the city where the words ‘televised sport’ do not appear.
“This is an application where we are asking your honours to grant those words into the licence so the Counting House can take advantage and show the World Cup.
“I think this is probably one of a number of applications which are looking to tidy up this part of the licence. We happen to be the first.”
Niall Hassard, representing Cosmopol, said the venue, known for cocktails and karaoke, wanted to show games during the World Cup.
“You can maybe sing along to Baccara and then go straight into watching the match,” he added.
Mr Hassard also said there is a “long-standing relationship” between Tennent’s and Scotland’s football team, with the brewery seeing “an opportunity to celebrate the national team’s achievement”.
Audrey Junner, representing Racket Barn, said the venue is in the process of trying to secure a provisional premises licence. The occasional licences will cover the period of the World Cup, she added.
There is a bar and cafe area in the padel centre, although “larger screenings” could be organised.
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