The Footy Travelers Podcast

The Footy Travelers
  • 5.0 (28)
  • Soccer

Your guide to international soccer travel, World Cup experiences, and matchday trips most fans only ever dream about. The Footy Travelers Podcast is the show for soccer fans who actually want to take the trip—not just watch the highlights. Hear from the fans, journalists, and obsessives who chase football across continents, and turn their stories into a playbook you can actually use. From Anfield on 9/11 to a Saudi Pro League matchday. From honeymooning with the Premier League trophy in the Seychelles to a 15-month world tour of different football cultures. These are the trips that change how you see the game—and the conversations that show you how to plan your own. Whether you're booking your first Premier League weekend, prepping for the World Cup or chasing a bucket-list match in Buenos Aires, Riyadh, or Tokyo, every episode delivers real, on-the-ground intel from fellow footy travelers who've been there.

  1. 5d ago

    Driving to All 16 World Cup 2026 Stadiums in a London Black Cab | w/ Ollie Jenks of Hold My Gear

    This week, Colin sits down with Ollie Jenks of Hold My Gear to talk through what might be the most ambitious World Cup 2026 road trip anyone has fathomed: a 39-day, 10,000-mile journey through all 16 World Cup host cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, ending at the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19th. The vehicle of choice? A 1992 London black cab named Abby (the World Cup Cabby!) — which, at the time of recording, isn't even running yet! In this episode: • How Ollie and Seth met at the Mongol Rally — and how that led to Cape Town • The Reliant Robin trip: a Guinness World Record & 14,500 miles • Smuggling a gearbox into Ghana • The full route through all 16 World Cup 2026 host cities • Why Kansas City is the most annoying stop on the map • Hot take: MLS needs promotion and relegation • Why he loves the US — and what he wants American fans to do at this World Cup • The MetLife Stadium "no walking" controversy • His World Cup 2026 dark horse pick   Foot(y)notes...   Our guest: Follow Ollie & Seth's (@Hold.MyGear) WC26 trip across North America: https://linktr.ee/holdmygear.official Learn more about School in a Bag, the charity the trip supports: https://www.schoolinabag.org/   The Footy Travelers: Follow The Footy Travelers' "Chasing the World Cup Spirit" trip through Europe: https://linktr.ee/Footytravelers Join an upcoming group trip: footytravelers.com/trips Get our monthly newsletter: newsletter.footytravelers.com

    39 min

  2. May 26

    Rating All 16 European World Cup 2026 Nations: Best & Worst Reasons to Visit | w/ Matt Walker

    This week, Colin sits down with Matt Walker—author of Europe United and the only person to attend a live football match in all 55 UEFA nations in a single season—to build the ultimate travel guide for the 16 European countries headed to World Cup 2026. Matt walks us through which European nations are most worth visiting, which to skip, where the football culture actually lives, and the best (and worst) reason to visit every single one of the 16. Plus: a definitive ranking of Europe's five most popular budget airlines!   In this episode:  • How Matt pulled off seeing a game in all 55 UEFA nations in the 2017–18 season • How he forced his way into the worst match he saw • Which World Cup 2026 European nation has the richest football culture (Turkey vs. Scotland) • The surprising answer for least rich football culture in Europe — and why • Brazil vs. Argentina for the best non-European football experience • Whether Morocco belongs in our World Cup 2026 trip plans • Where to eat in Europe when your matchday plans fall through • Why you should avoid Barcelona and Bilbao for Spain national team matches • Best and worst reason to visit all 16 European World Cup 2026 nations — Sweden, Norway, Scotland, England, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czechia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Turkey • The best balance of dark history and modern travel in Europe today • A definitive ranking of Europe's five biggest budget airlines: Ryanair, Wizz Air, EasyJet, Eurowings, and Vueling   Foot(y)notes...   Our guest: Get your copy of Europe United by Matt Walker: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Europe-United-football-season-nations/dp/1787476138/ Follow Matt's ongoing footy travels at 55footballnations.com: https://www.55footballnations.com/ Follow Matt on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/55footballnations/    The Footy Travelers: Follow The Footy Travelers' "Chasing the World Cup Spirit" trip through Europe: https://linktr.ee/Footytravelers Join our upcoming group trips: https://footytravelers.com/trips  Get our monthly newsletter: https://newsletter.footytravelers.com

    46 min

  3. 12/15/2025

    EP 79 | An Inside Look At ClubEleven's Epic Soccer Bus

    What happens when a group of creative friends pile into a retro-fitted Soccer Bus, hit the American highways, and follow the heartbeat of U.S. soccer across the country?   In this episode, the ClubEleven crew—Gabriel, Pablo, Tyler, and Justin—join The Footy Travelers to share stories from their cross-country journey during the 2025 U.S. soccer season, where they followed the US Open Cup, caught Club World Cup fever, connected with fans and fellow creators, and turned their bus into a rolling tribute to American soccer culture.   This episode is for anyone who believes the soul of the sport is found beyond the stadium—but sometimes parked just outside it!   Want to know more about ClubEleven's work? Check them out on Instagram: @clubeleven.     00:00 – Intro: A Soccer Bus Story 04:12 – Who Is ClubEleven? 11:20 – Why the Soccer Bus? 18:45 – Life on the Road: Challenges & Chaos 26:10 – US Open Cup Moments & Fan Encounters 35:22 – Creating the Magazine: The Soccer Odyssey 42:47 – The Culture of American Soccer, City by City 51:55 – What's Next for ClubEleven?

    58 min

  4. 10/08/2025

    Ep 78 | What It's Really Like at a Saudi Pro League Match w/ Matchstay's Lee Galvin

    Saudi Arabia has been a hot topic in the footy world the last several years. Big name signings. Premier League team ownership. World Cup 2034 hosting. But what is the football scene in Saudi Arabia actually like? In this episode, Colin sits down with Lee Galvin of Matchstay, who traveled to Jeddah and Riyadh to experience the Saudi Pro League for himself. From the myths and misconceptions to the world-class players, matchday vibes, and the impact of a no-alcohol culture, Lee shares how it compares to Europe—and why more fans might want to see it for themselves. Foot(y)notes: Saudi Arabia's World Cup 2034 promotional website: https://saudi2034.com.sa/ Get a more Saudi perspective on the Saudi Pro League with the recent Netflix series: https://www.netflix.com/title/81783473 …or just watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ivIYBD4tfQ Despite no alcohol, Saudi fans can still get rowdy and aggressive—Saudi style! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K0z23ppOkE More info on the Saudi university program Lee mentioned: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20151208190817896    04:37 | The inspiration (and price) for a trip to Saudi 07:48 | Saudi geography and Pro League teams 11:01 | Saudi stadiums and matchday atmosphere 16:06 | The alcohol myth busted 19:11 | Getting to the game and navigating around Saudi Arabian cities 25:57 | The hardest thing to deal with as a Westerner 32:35 | Out of grounds options in Saudi Arabia 38:42 | How to get tickets tothe Saudi Pro League 41:50 | Lee's other international footy travels

    54 min

  5. 09/24/2025

    Ep 77 | A 15-Month Footy World Tour & Road Trip to the World Cup

    What if you built your own global football education—by leaving home, traveling across multiple continents, and going straight to the source? That's exactly what fellow footy traveler Andrew Baggaley, founder of Because Football Media did, as he spent more than a year exploring the globe, visiting football clubs, academies, and fan groups across Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe. Whether you're a traditional Premier League fan, a lover of fan culture, or curious about how the global game shapes lives off the pitch, this episode is for you.   03:55 | Prototyping Because Football in Paris at PSG 07:26 | Heading to Ivory Coast for AFCON 10:32 | Connecting with Independiente, River Plate, & Racing Club 15:44 | Why Port Vale? And... who...is Port Vale exactly? 17:48 | Eastern Europe on the way to the Far East 20:23 | Comparing footy cultures across Southeast Asia 25:33 | What the world taught Andrew about American soccer 32:27 | The first ever soccer game in the US 35:49 | Coming Soon: The "Road Trip to the World Cup" Series   Check out our new YouTube channel! Don't miss our monthly newsletter for footy // travel news from every corner of the globe Follow us on Instagram: @footytravelers Join us on one of our trips (our next one is to Mexico City)!

    39 min

  6. 09/11/2025

    Ep 76 | Far From Home on 9/11: An American at Anfield Remembers

    On September 11, 2001, American journalist and fellow footy traveler Ken McDonald was thousands of miles from home—at Anfield, watching Liverpool play Boa Vista in the Champions League. In this powerful conversation, Ken shares what it was like to learn about the 9/11 attacks while abroad, how Scousers responded, and the story behind an unforgettable, homemade tifo that made the highlight reels that night. He also reflects on what truly makes footy traveling so meaningful—and spoiler: it's not what you think.   00:29 | Ken's notable background 03:28 | Liverpool vs Boa Vista in the Champions League 07:57 | "The Kop stands with our friends in America" 15:49 | Flying back to America 20:05 | Why Ken doesn't process 9/11 like most Americans 24:17 | Traveling thousands of miles for 2 hours of sport? Worth it! 26:06 | Ken's sales pitch for lower league football 31:37 | Footy scran   Check out our new YouTube channel! Don't miss our monthly newsletter for footy // travel news from every corner of the globe Follow us on Instagram: @footytravelers Join us on one of our trips (our next one is to Mexico City)!

    34 min

  7. 09/01/2025

    Ep 75 | World Cup NTK Series: World Cup 2026 - Phase 1 Ticket Application Window

    The first sales window for tickets to the 2026 World Cup consists of an application period that opens on September 10th and closes on September 19th (2025), and there's a major change to the process this time around. In this episode, we'll break down the 5 biggest things you need to know to be prepared to score tickets to the world's greatest sporting event!   00:00 | Catcing up on 2025 09:15 | Question 1: HOW does Phase 1 of World Cup 2026 ticket sales actually work? 12:20 | Question 2: WHEN does Phase 1 of World Cup 2026 ticket sales happen? 13:04 | Question 3: WHO can apply for World Cup 2026 tickets during Phase 1? 14:12 | Question 4: HOW does FIFA notify successful Phase 2 applicants? 14:52 | Question 5: WHEN can I actually buy World Cup 2026 match tickets? 20:13 | Predictions on further Phase 1 details and additional sales phases 26:35 | Recommendations for how to approach World Cup 2026 tickets sales   Check out our new YouTube channel! Sign up for our monthly newsletter for footy // travel news from every corner of the globe Follow us on Instagram: @footytravelers Join us on one of our trips (our next one is to Mexico City)!

    42 min

  8. 01/13/2025

    Ep 74 | 2024 Wrapped: Our Favorite Matches, Moments, & Travel Tips from Last Year

    When the dog bites, when the bee sti— Oooh! Eh ehm. Excuse us. Didn't see you there. Just warming up the vocal chords for our 2024 FAVORITE THINGS EPISODE!!! Comment on our recently pinned Instagram or X posts to let us know what you think about our picks, your favorites, or any footy travel suggestions you have for us in 2025! Foot(y)notes: Here are some of our favorite things worth checking out ASAP… Jimmy Rees Instagram Reel on "The Guy Who Decides the Premier League" "Once In a Lifetime" on YouTube (by Eli Mengem and Copa 90)  "Welcome to Wrexham" on FX The Mobile Passport app from US Customs and Border Patrol   02:43 | Mike has an offer 05:39 | Mike gives the rundown 07:33 | TOP 5 Matches & Travel Experiences - COLIN 15:02 | TOP 5 Matches & Travel Experiences - MIKE 25:47 | TOP 4 Media & Content Pieces - COLIN 35:31 | TOP 4 Media & Content Pieces - MIKE 46:53 | TOP 3 Travel Tips & Lessons Learned - COLIN 51:01 | TOP 3 Travel Tips & Lessons Learned - MIKE 58:10 | TOP 2 Things to look forward to in 2025 - MIKE 01:00:41 | TOP 2 Things to look forward to in 2025 - COLIN 01:03:49 | BIGGEST 2024 Takeaway - MIKE 01:08:25 | BIGGEST 2024 Takeaway - COLIN

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About

Your guide to international soccer travel, World Cup experiences, and matchday trips most fans only ever dream about. The Footy Travelers Podcast is the show for soccer fans who actually want to take the trip—not just watch the highlights. Hear from the fans, journalists, and obsessives who chase football across continents, and turn their stories into a playbook you can actually use. From Anfield on 9/11 to a Saudi Pro League matchday. From honeymooning with the Premier League trophy in the Seychelles to a 15-month world tour of different football cultures. These are the trips that change how you see the game—and the conversations that show you how to plan your own. Whether you're booking your first Premier League weekend, prepping for the World Cup or chasing a bucket-list match in Buenos Aires, Riyadh, or Tokyo, every episode delivers real, on-the-ground intel from fellow footy travelers who've been there.

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