Can you show World Cup football matches in your bar or cafe?

  • KVK Editors
  • Q and A
  • 11 June 2026
  • 1 min
  • Managing and growing
  • Rules and laws

The World Cup football tournament is upon us. You want to install a screen in your cafe or on your terrace, so that visitors can watch the games. But is that allowed? And what do you have to arrange? Read the rules in this article.

To show the World Cup matches, you need a licence from Videma (in Dutch). There are several types of licence. As a hospitality business, you usually already have a doelgroeplicentie (target group licence), also called a cafe licence. With that licence, you are allowed to show television programmes, including World Cup matches, in your cafe. In some cases you also need an event licence (evenementenlicentie).

If you show matches without a licence, you are breaking the Copyright Act (Auteurswet) and you could be fined. 

Showing World Cup matches on your terrace

You are also allowed to show World Cup matches on your terrace. You usually only need a cafe licence for this, but there are a few additional requirements: 

  • The TV screen must be inward-facing, so that only your visitors can watch it. 
  • Visitors do not have to pay extra to watch the match. 
  • Your terrace may not be larger than the amount of square metres for which you received the cafe licence. 

Example: your cafe licence covers 50 m², but your terrace is 100 m². You should apply for an additional licence for the extra 50 m².

When do you need an event licence?

Can people who are not on your terrace also watch the match on your screen? Then you need an event licence (in Dutch). You also need one if you turn it into an event. For example, if you place screens on a town square or show the match inside a tent to which you charge admission. Videma calls this an 'evenementmatige vertoning' (event showing).

How much does a licence cost and how do you apply?

The costs for a licence (in Dutch) depend on the type of business you run and on how large your cafe or terrace is (number of square metres). If you are a member of a sector organisation, such as the Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN, in Dutch), you may receive a discount. The cheapest cafe licence is € 370,82 (gross, without discount).

You apply for the licence online and receive it within a couple of days. The licence is valid for a year.  Note: if you only want to show World Cup football matches, mention this in the application. The licence period will be adjusted accordingly. 

What more do you need?

You need a business TV viewing licence. In some cases, you also need to apply for a permit from your municipality. For example, if you want to show a match that is aired during the night, you may need an exemption. The municipality may also impose rules for safety and crowding. Contact your municipality to find out which rules apply.  

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