Sports Travel: World Cup, F1, Premier League and More
Everywhere you turn right now…Instagram, TikTok, the Today Show…you’re inundated with feel good stories about World Cup fans packing stadiums and watch parties across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Last week we watched as hundreds of Team Colombia fans packed Pointe Orlando for an outdoor watch party…in the middle of a lightning storm! The dedication is relentless. The energy is palpable. And the desire to be a part of it is contagious!
Sports are the great equalizer. They unite people of all backgrounds, faiths, and cultures. And whether you’re cheering on your team or not, there’s an underlying respect for a GOOD game! I didn’t care if Germany or Paraguay won in the first round of sudden death elimination…but that shoot out had me screaming at my TV! And the raw emotion and excitement on the faces of thousands of fans, wearing their country’s jersey in a foreign country brings me nothing but joy.
Sports Tourism is real. It’s why, in the 2026 season, the NFL will play NINE international games! American Football fans will pack stadiums in Australia, Brazil, London, Paris, Spain, Germany, and Mexico this year! That is not an accident. Exposure to the NFL will build an international fan base. But there’s another benefit. Playing games internationally allows US fans an opportunity to explore and enjoy international cultures in much of the same way that we see World Cup fans enjoying America right now! Sports Tourism unites and welcomes fans across oceans and borders. And it’s the perfect opportunity to build core memories with your favorite travel companions.
Regardless of where you want to travel, odds are there’s a sporting event going on in some capacity during the trip. I encourage you to seek out the opportunities to be part of the local culture through sports. Earlier this year I helped a client build a weekend trip to London with his son. They had been in the Arsenal ticket lottery for years. When they were selected for tickets, they had just five days (including flights to and from London from Tampa) to soak in every minute of energy surrounding the game. They didn’t just see the game. They went to Buckingham Palace. The Arsenal Museum. Tried new foods. Experienced the local pub on game day. And made some of the most incredible Father/Son memories they’d ever had! The texts and photos I received during and after their trip were full of excitement and joy. I’m sure they were both exhausted after a whirlwind trip, but I know they would do it all again!
Sometimes you have to look a little bit closer to find the sports link when you’re traveling. My family traveled to Chicago just after New Year’s a few years ago. There wasn’t a home Bears game during our stay. And baseball was WAY out of season. So we took a behind the scenes tour of Wrigley Field. Was it the same energy as attending a game? No. But the following season, while we watched the Cubs play on TV, our girls could say “Hey, we were there!” And when they see the outside of the stadium and the rooftop viewing in the neighborhood, they remember walking through the streets and being in awe of the size of the stadium. It’s a memory they have with their dad in his favorite ballpark!
We’ve traveled to South Florida for the Miami Grand Prix…a whole vibe in itself! This amazing F1 experience was actually tacked onto my daughter’s swim meet! (Because Sports Tourism is EVERYWHERE!) We walked the streets of South Beach, packed our earplugs, enjoyed incredible food and watched one of the coolest sporting events (from carefully selected seats in the shade) that I’ve ever witnessed (and I don’t even like racing!). Not gonna lie, we are already looking at how we can travel to watch other F1 races in other countries…my husband has added Monaco to his bucket list and I’m not sad about it!
And a few years ago we ended up traveling to London for Spring Break. Unbeknownst to us our closest family friends were ALSO planning a trip there for Spring Break. Their kids all play soccer and my family was obsessed with Ted Lasso at the time. So we did what we had to do…we saw West Ham United play one day then took the train to Richmond to visit all of the Ted Lasso icons the next! (Side note…This was after my daughters swam laps in the London Aquatics Centre pool…where the 2012 Olympics were held. We can make sports memories anywhere we go.)
Being in London for a West Ham game was unreal. The energy. The excitement. The stadium food (I could eat 10 of those pies). And the customs. Did you know that you can’t bring your beer to your seat during a game?! I am incredibly grateful for that game and those memories. We bought the scarves and foam fingers. And we got to share this moment with our friends who are like family.
So, if watching the World Cup has you dreaming about your next trip, I hope this is your sign. You don't need a stadium full of 80,000 screaming fans to make it count (though it doesn't hurt). Sometimes it's a behind-the-scenes tour of a ballpark your kids will talk about for years. Sometimes it's a once-in-a-lifetime lottery win that turns into five whirlwind days with your son. And sometimes it's just tacking a race onto a swim meet because, why not?
Sports tourism isn't a niche...it's everywhere, if you're willing to look for it. And I'd love to help you find your next excuse to go.
Ready to plan your own sports trip (or sneak one into a trip you're already taking)? Reach out and let's make it happen.