diff --git a/packages/client/src/App.tsx b/packages/client/src/App.tsx
index 6c89877..386ac76 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/App.tsx
+++ b/packages/client/src/App.tsx
@@ -208,7 +208,10 @@ function App() {
           back to your game.</p>
           <p><strong>GLHF!</strong></p>
           <br />
-          <MatchList joinMatch={(matchId) => multiplayer.joinMatch(matchId)} />
+          <MatchList
+            joinMatch={matchId => multiplayer.joinMatch(matchId)}
+            spectateMatch={matchId => multiplayer.spectateMatch(matchId)}
+          />
           <div style={{textAlign:"center"}}>
             <button onClick={() => multiplayer.createMatch()}>Create</button>
           </div>
diff --git a/packages/client/src/Multiplayer.ts b/packages/client/src/Multiplayer.ts
index 9521ab3..8fbb068 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/Multiplayer.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/Multiplayer.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,12 @@ export class Multiplayer {
                 this.onUpdatePacket && this.onUpdatePacket(u);
             })
 
+            this.channel.on('spectating', (data: Data) => {
+                this.matchId = (data as {matchId: string}).matchId;
+                localStorage.setItem('matchId', this.matchId);
+                this.onMatchConnected && this.onMatchConnected(this.matchId);
+            });
+
             this.channel.on('connected', (data: Data) => {
                 if (!this.matchId) {
                     throw "Server responded with connection but the multiplayer isn't initialized to a match";
@@ -139,6 +145,16 @@ export class Multiplayer {
             this.channel.emit('connect', data);
         });
     };
+
+    spectateMatch(matchId: string) {
+        console.log(`[Multiplayer] spectating match ${matchId}`)
+        const data : IdentificationPacket = {
+            userId: this.userId,
+            matchId
+        };
+
+        this.channel.emit('spectate', data);
+    }
     
     async leaveMatch() {
         if (!this.matchId)
diff --git a/packages/client/src/components/MatchList.tsx b/packages/client/src/components/MatchList.tsx
index 0cc72e0..d11f568 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/components/MatchList.tsx
+++ b/packages/client/src/components/MatchList.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { HTTP_API_URL } from '../config'
 
 type Props = {
     joinMatch: (matchId: string) => void;
+    spectateMatch: (matchId: string) => void;
 }
 
 export function MatchList(props: Props) {
@@ -25,18 +26,21 @@ export function MatchList(props: Props) {
         };
     }, []);
 
-    const matchRows = matches.map(m => 
-        <tr key={m.matchId}>
+    const matchRows = matches.map(m => {
+        const joinable = m.status.id == "Lobby";
+
+        return (<tr key={m.matchId}>
             <td>{m.matchId}</td>
             <td>{m.playerCount}</td>
             <td>{m.status.id}</td>
             <td>
-                { m.status.id == "Lobby" &&
-                    <button onClick={() => props.joinMatch(m.matchId)}>Join</button>
-                }
+                <button disabled={!joinable} onClick={() => props.joinMatch(m.matchId)}>Join</button>
             </td>
-        </tr>
-    );
+            <td>
+                <button onClick={() => props.spectateMatch(m.matchId)}>Spectate</button>
+            </td>
+        </tr>);
+    });
 
     return (
         <table className="MatchTable">
diff --git a/packages/server/index.ts b/packages/server/index.ts
index 92a48bc..c019146 100644
--- a/packages/server/index.ts
+++ b/packages/server/index.ts
@@ -23,10 +23,16 @@ type PlayerEntry = {
     channel?: ServerChannel,
 }
 
+type SpectatorEntry = {
+    user: UserId,
+    channel: ServerChannel,
+}
+
 type Match = {
     game: Game,
     matchId: string,
     players: PlayerEntry[],
+    spectators: SpectatorEntry[],
 }
 
 const app = express()
@@ -76,7 +82,7 @@ app.post('/create', async (req, res) => {
     const map = await getMap('assets/map.png');
     const game = newGame(map);
     const matchId = String(++lastMatchId); // TODO
-    matches.push({ game, matchId, players: [] });
+    matches.push({ game, matchId, players: [], spectators: [] });
 
     const TICK_MS = 50;
     setInterval(() => {
@@ -93,6 +99,10 @@ app.post('/create', async (req, res) => {
 
             p.channel.emit('tick', updatePackets[i]);
         });
+
+        match.spectators.forEach((s, i) => 
+            s.channel.emit('tick', updatePackets[0])
+        );
         // io.room(matchId).emit('tick', updatePackets[0]);
     }, TICK_MS);
 
@@ -183,20 +193,47 @@ io.onConnection(channel => {
         console.log(`${channel.id} got disconnected`)
     })
 
+    channel.on('spectate', (data: Data) => {
+        const packet = data as IdentificationPacket;
+
+        const m = matches.find(m => m.matchId === packet.matchId);
+        if (!m) {
+            console.warn("Received a spectate request to a match that doesn't exist");
+            channel.emit('spectate failure', packet.matchId, {reliable: true});
+            return;
+        }
+
+        const spectatorEntry = {
+            channel,
+            user: packet.userId,
+        }
+
+        m.spectators.push(spectatorEntry);
+
+        channel.userData = {
+            matchId: packet.matchId
+        };
+
+        channel.join(String(packet.matchId));
+        channel.emit('spectating', {matchId: packet.matchId}, {reliable: true});
+
+        console.log(`[index] Channel of user ${packet.userId} spectating match ${packet.matchId}`);
+    });
+
     channel.on('connect', (data: Data) => {
         // TODO properly validate data format
         const packet = data as IdentificationPacket;
         
         const m = matches.find(m => m.matchId === packet.matchId);
         if (!m) {
-            console.warn("Received a connect request to a match that doesn't exist");
+            console.warn("[index] Received a connect request to a match that doesn't exist");
             channel.emit('connection failure', packet.matchId, {reliable: true});
             return;
         }
 
         const playerEntry = m.players.find(p => p.user === packet.userId);
         if (!playerEntry) {
-            console.warn(`Received a connect request to a match(${packet.matchId}) that the user(${packet.userId}) hasn't joined`);
+            console.warn(`[index] Received a connect request to a match(${packet.matchId}) that the user(${packet.userId}) hasn't joined`);
             channel.emit('connection failure', packet.matchId, {reliable: true});
             return;
         }