Tag: Football

4Jan By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Calendars, Events

Football 2026 events calendar: major tournaments and finals

Football in 2026 is set for a landmark year shaped by the biggest tournament in the sport: the 2026 FIFA World Cup, staged across Canada, the United States and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July. Featuring 48 teams for the first time, the expanded format brings more matches, more host cities, and an unprecedented festival of global football. From the opening game in Mexico City to the final in New York/New Jersey, the World Cup will dominate the sporting calendar, driving massive worldwide attention and a surge in sports tourism. At club level, European men's football reaches its usual crescendo in May 2026, when the continent's top competitions crown their champions. The UEFA Champions League final, one of the most-watched annual events on the planet, will headline the month, followed by t...

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30Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Events, Sports Business

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2035: a potential UK sports tourism blockbuster

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have formally launched a joint bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2035, positioning the tournament as the biggest single-sport event ever staged on UK soil – and a potential blockbuster for sports tourism across all four nations.  Under the “All Together” bid banner, the four football associations are proposing 22 stadiums across 16 host cities, with FIFA expected to trim that list to around 14-16 venues should the bid be successful. The tournament – expanded to 48 teams – would feature 104 matches over 39 days, with organisers targeting 4.5 million ticket sales and a global TV audience of 3.5 billion. It would also be the UK’s first World Cup since 1966, giving a new generation of fans the chance to experience a global finals on home tu...

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21Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Business

Dubai’s Atlantis The Royal to host the 2025 Globe Soccer Awards

The luxurious Atlantis The Royal hotel on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai is ready to roll out the red carpet and celebrate the best in world football as host venue for the 16th edition of the BEYOND Developments GLOBE SOCCER Awards. Taking place on Sunday 28 December 2025, this star-studded event will feature around 15 award categories on the night, including nine categories that are open to a worldwide public vote. The first round of voting is open until 27 November, followed by second round of voting to decide each winner from 3-11 December. Final winners will be determined by a combination of fan votes and the GLOBE SOCCER Jury, made up of legendary names such as Marcello Lippi, Francesco Totti, Iker Casillas, and Luis Figo. Tommaso Bendoni, founder and CEO of GLOBE SOCCER, said: “We ...

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28Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

Destination Sport Group named official local partner of Man City FC

Premier League football club Manchester City have announced an official local partnership with sports travel specialists, Destination Sport Group. For a number of years, Destination Sport Group has provided the club with expert team travel support, youth development tours, fan travel packages and curated travel experiences through its subsidiary brands – Destination Sport Travel, Inspiresport, SportsBreaks and Sportsworld.  The new local partnership agreement will see Destination Sport Group continue providing team travel services to Man City, whilst also creating experiences for fans and groups as part of an integrated local partnership. This includes trips for schools and youth clubs involving world-class coaching at the City Football Academy via inspiresport, ticket and hotel breaks ...

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20Jul By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Sports Business, Sports Travel

Como 1907: luxury football travel on Italy’s Lake Como

In May, Italian football club Como 1907 officially unveiled SENT Tourism, its in‑house luxury tour operator designed to bring football fans closer to the emotional, cultural, and aesthetic world of Lake Como. The initiative seeks to extend the club’s identity beyond Serie  A by crafting immersive travel experiences that merge matchday excitement with Italian elegance. Rooted in the club’s transformation under Djarum Group/Sent Entertainment Ltd and president Mirwan Suwarso, SENT Tourism represents the next chapter of Como’s ambition to become a premier football tourism destination, leveraging its stunning lakeside stadium and localised brand ecosystem. New stadium plans unveiled  SENT Tourism is not the only big announcement made in recent months by Como 1907 – the redevelopment o...

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19Jul By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

FIFA World Cup 26: what hospitality packages are available?

FIFA and On Location, the official hospitality provider for the FIFA World Cup 26, have announced a broader range of hospitality packages that are now available to purchase at FIFAWorldCup.com/Hospitality and through authorised sales agents. Featuring 48 teams from six confederations, the FIFA World Cup 26 will take place from 11 June until 19 July 2026, with games held at 16 locations across the three host nations in North America. Following May’s launch of series packages for matches in the United States, football fans around the world can now secure premium access to the largest FIFA World Cup ever through a diverse range of hospitality offers, whether the matches are taking place in Canada, Mexico or the US. Hospitality packages for the tournament include:   Single Match: Fa...

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16Jun By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business, Venues & Stadiums

‘Seat Unique Ultimate Experience’: Everton’s new stadium to feature cinema-style seating

English Premier League football club Everton have announced ticketing and hospitality platform Seat Unique as a founding partner of their new Hill Dickinson Stadium.  The agreement will see Seat Unique become Everton’s official premium experiences platform, providing premium match-by-match and event sales for the bars, restaurants and experiences at the club’s new iconic home on Liverpool’s waterfront. The 52,888-capacity Hill Dickinson Stadium, which opens in August 2025, will become a world-class destination for sport, music, entertainment and cultural events. As part of “The Seat Unique Ultimate Experience”, and for the first time in UK football, fans will be able to buy match-by-match access to cinematic "loge" seating – enclosures with four reclining cinema-style seats and priva...

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11May By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business, Venues & Stadiums

Valencia CF and Legends partner on hospitality concepts at Nou Mestalla

Valencia CF have reached an agreement with Legends, a global premium experiences company, to support the Spanish LaLiga football club's strategic growth through the sales and revenue optimisation of the hospitality areas at the Nou Mestalla stadium. Following the consultancy process carried out over the last year, the club now incorporates Legends, a leader in delivering exceptional fan experiences and driving commercial revenue for sports and entertainment venues, as a strategic partner. Thus, establishing the first major agreement for the new stadium, which, upon its inauguration in the summer of 2027, will become a fundamental pillar for the club's economic and sporting growth in the coming decades. With more than 6,500 hospitality seats (more than 9% of the stadium’s total capaci...

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27Apr By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

Video: Malaysia Airlines unveils Manchester United aircraft livery

Malaysia Airlines has unveiled its latest co-branded aircraft livery in partnership with English Premier League football club Manchester United.  Now featured on the airline's flagship A330-300, the bespoke livery includes dynamic red lines flowing from the Malaysia flag into the club's iconic red. Former United players Dimitar Berbatov, Nemanja Vidić, and Luís Nani attended the unveiling in Malaysia.  In March 2024, Manchester United and Malaysia Airlines announced a multi-year partnership which saw the airline become the club’s official commercial airline.  At the time of the announcement, a club spokesperson said: “Manchester United has a long-standing and proud connection with Malaysia, with a history of passionate support from across the country. We have three official M...

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12Apr By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Bucket List, Holidays & Trips

Sports travel bucket list: playing football on Kuramathi Maldives’s stunning pitch

We’ve seen some beautiful football venues on our travels, but the pitch at Kuramathi Maldives may just be one of the most stunning of the lot.  Located in the Rasdhoo Atoll, 56 kilometres west from Male’ International Airport, Kuramathi Maldives is a 1.8km-long island resort that’s home to 12 different room categories, 12 restaurants, six bars, a spa, a dive school, and a kids’ club. Kuramathi also has its own sports centre with facilities such as three swimming pools located around the island, a gymnasium, floodlit tennis court, and of course the stunning football pitch. For accommodation at the family-friendly resort, guests can choose from one-bedroom Beach Villas, opt for the two-bedroom Beach House or an iconic over-water villa. Bageecha, Kuramathi’s kids' club, is complime...

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24Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Events, Venues & Stadiums

Premier League Summer Series 2025 to be held in New Jersey, Chicago and Atlanta

Four top-flight English football clubs – AFC Bournemouth, Everton, Manchester United and West Ham United – will travel to the United States for this year’s Premier League Summer Series.  Taking place from 26 July to 3 August 2025, the Premier League Summer Series will see each team play a total of three matches across stadiums in New Jersey, Chicago and Atlanta.  The fixtures kick off on Saturday 26 July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with Everton taking on Bournemouth and Man Utd facing West Ham. On Wednesday 30 July, Soldier Field in Chicago will host West Ham vs. Everton and Man Utd vs. Bournemouth. The final round of games on Sunday 3 August will then see Bournemouth vs. West Ham and Man Utd vs. Everton at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Fans only need to buy o...

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22Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business, Venues & Stadiums

Cycas Hospitality to manage Oxford United FC’s new stadium hotel

Pan-European hospitality management company Cycas Hospitality has been appointed to manage the new-build Radisson hotel that will be located at Oxford United Football Club’s upcoming new stadium. Marking Cycas Hospitality's first UK-based property under management, the new hotel within the 16,000-seat, all-electric stadium near Kidlington, five miles north of Oxford, will feature a range of construction and operational measures to ensure the highest standard of environmental sustainability.  The development, which aims to secure a permanent, sustainable home for the football club alongside long-lasting community benefits, comprises a stadium, conference and exhibition centre for more than 1,000 delegates and purpose-built hotel servicing both visitors and local corporate clients...

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11Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Ex-England star Teddy Sheringham to host football camp at Amilla Maldives

Former England and Manchester United striker Teddy Sheringham will once again team up with Amilla Maldives to host an exclusive football camp at the five-star resort. Taking place from 2-8 April 2025, the camp will see younger guests get the chance to train with the ex-Premier League star during an unforgettable sporting week.   With a professional career spanning nearly 25 years, including a trophy-laden period at Manchester United and 51 caps for the England national team, Sheringham will help inspire younger footballers with a series of coaching sessions. Commencing with an opening ceremony on 2 April, the week-long academy will see children aged four and above polish their footballing skills. The experience culminates on 7 April with a friendly match between guests and the Amilla te...

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11Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Sports Business, Venues & Stadiums

Man Utd’s new stadium will ‘transform’ the fan experience 

English Premier League football club Manchester United have announced plans to build a new 100,000-seat stadium as the centrepiece of a major regeneration project for the Old Trafford area of the city.  Costing a “ballpark [figure] of £2bn”, the BBC reported, the new stadium, and wider regeneration project, have the potential to deliver an additional £7.3bn per year to the UK economy which brings large-scale social and economic benefits to the community and wider region, including the possible creation of 92,000 new jobs, more than 17,000 new homes as well as driving an additional 1.8 million visitors annually.  Conceptual images and scaled models of what the new stadium and surrounding area could look like were unveiled by Foster + Partners, the architecture group appointe...

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7Mar By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business

The Medlock: Man City and Radisson Hotel Group to open new Etihad Campus hotel

Manchester City and the Radisson Hotel Group have announced a collaboration that will see a new hotel, The Medlock, open on the English Premier League football club’s Etihad Campus in late 2026.    Operating all year round, the 401-room hotel will provide convenient and comfortable accommodation for music and sport fans who are attending events at the Etihad Stadium, visitors to the UK’s largest indoor arena, Co-op Live, as well as guests exploring the wider entertainment destination and Manchester itself.  The Medlock will offer guests a choice of suites, deluxe and standard rooms, in addition to a luxury penthouse suite. Upon completion, guests will also have access to a wide variety of food and drink outlets, a roof walk and museum experience and commercial office space in the exp...

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8Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events

FIFA Club World Cup 2025: fixtures and venues confirmed for 63-match tournament

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is set to be a groundbreaking edition of the tournament, expanding to include 32 of the world’s best club teams. Scheduled to take place in the United States from Saturday 14 June to Sunday 13 July 2025, this expanded format mirrors the FIFA World Cup structure.  For the first time, clubs from across all confederations will compete in a group stage followed by a knockout phase, elevating the tournament’s competitiveness and global appeal. Powerhouses like Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich will headline the competition, joined by South American giants like Flamengo and Boca Juniors, as well as representatives from Asia, Africa, and CONCACAF.  A total of 63 matches will feature in the tournament, with venues including the MetLife Sta...

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13Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Legends El Clásico: Qatar Airways offers unique holiday packages for Doha fixture

Qatar Airways, in partnership with Qatar Tourism, has announced unique travel packages for football fans to witness a special Legends El Clásico match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid on 28 November 2024 at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. The packages are inclusive of return flights, accommodation and match tickets, seamlessly allowing global fans to travel to Doha and watch the legends from various eras of Spain’s biggest sports rivalry. To book flight plus hotel packages to Doha with match tickets for the Legends El Clásico see qatarairways.com/elclasico The legends match will take place during an action-packed week of sport for Qatar, which also stages the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix from 29 November to 1 December 2024. Steven Reynolds, Qatar Airways H...

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6Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Events, Sports Business

UEFA Women’s Euro 2025: ticket sales launched at Jungfraujoch in the Swiss Alps

On Tuesday 1 October ticket sales for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 international women's football tournament were launched at a special event held at the iconic Jungfraujoch in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. Located 3,454m above sea level, the magnificent Aletsch glacier set the stage for a match between two teams of football legends and future stars. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 will be held from 2-27 July 2025 in eight host cities across Switzerland, including Basel (opening game and final), Bern, Geneva, Zurich, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Thun and Sion. In total, around 720,000 tickets have been made available for the tournament with sales for the general public now open via womenseuro.com/tickets. With this first ticket release, more than 250,000 tickets for all 31 matches of the tournament...

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14Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

Enjoy Illinois becomes destination partner of Crystal Palace FC

The Illinois Office of Tourism has signed a partnership with Crystal Palace, which sees Enjoy Illinois become the official destination partner of the English Premier League club.  Enjoy Illinois will be displayed on the LED boards at the club’s Selhurst Park stadium in London, as well as interview backdrops and in-stadia televisions. Enjoy Illinois will also sponsor the halftime challenge at Selhurst Park and will run competitions throughout the season where fans can win prizes. The Eagles visited Chicago, Illinois, in 2023 during their pre-season tour and returned to the United States earlier this summer for the second successive year, playing in the Stateside Cup. Crystal Palace will also be returning to Illinois for the next Premier League Mornings Live, taking place in Chica...

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1Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

Japan Airlines Lounge opens at Liverpool FC’s Anfield Stadium

Japan Airlines (JAL) and Liverpool Football Club held the grand opening of the Japan Airlines Lounge at Anfield Stadium on 25 August. The new hospitality venue marks a key milestone in the multi-year partnership announced in June, which saw JAL become the Premier League club’s official airline partner.  Located in the Main Stand at Anfield, and accessible through purchased hospitality packages, the Japan Airlines Lounge offers a vibrant space with a three-course menu and exceptional matchday service. Occupying the former 1892 hospitality space, the lounge will be open during Liverpool’s home matches.  Unveiled ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League clash against Brentford, which the Reds won 2-0, the new lounge design offers a fresh and unique experience that blends Japanese hospit...

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