From Stadiums to Sights: Travel and Enjoy World-Class Sporting Events
Attending Euro 2016 in Marseille, France
Portland Travel Itinerary: A Perfect 3-Day Weekend + Sports Travel at Euro 2016 in France
My latest Winging It Travel Podcast episode is my first solo one in a while!
In the episode, I decided to combine my recent trip to Portland with a discussion of Sports Travel in honour of the 2024 European Championships in Germany.
For this blog, I will talk about the episode's sporting element.
Did you know I have attended three football (soccer) tournaments in Ukraine, Brazil, and France? I have also attended the Cricket Ashes Series (England vs. Australia) twice in Australia in 2010 and 2013. I have also followed the England Cricket Team to the Caribbean.
If you want a deep dive into some of these trips, you can hear me interview one of my friends, Mark Tisshaw.
With this experience, I feel I can share some traits of this type of travel, some tips, dos and don’ts, and how to combine the travel and sporting aspects.
I also have the Fifa World Cup in my sights for 2026 in Canada, Mexico, and the USA.
Let's delve into some subjects within this type of travel that mean something to me.
No, really. You should get booking those flights! If you scan the QR code below or click the QR, a link will open a new tab on Skyscanner! Book those flights with that link and help the Winging It Travel Podcast make a tiny commission.
Scan or click the photo to get the link
Photo with Tony Cottee in Brazil
You really feel like you are part of something special for those two weeks.
Wherever you are based for your sporting event, you really feel part of a collective goal, spirit, and something that means something to you and a lot of people.
In reality, when you filter back to real life, it doesn’t compare to life’s real problems, but for those two weeks, you can forget and have the best of times.
Every tournament or sporting event I have attended has made me feel part of a team; as a collective of fans for a particular sports team, we feel we are all heading in the right direction.
No ill feeling, positivity and a will for our team to do well.
Don’t get me wrong, from an England Football Team fan’s point of view, we have fans that spoil it for the rest of us, with the insatiable desire to cause trouble and antagonize local populations or opposite fans.
We have a reputation for a reason, which extends to European travel, such as going on stag do parties to other European cities.
However, one of the best things about sports travel is seeing opposing fans congregate together, banter, enjoy a drink, and be curious.
This is what we travel for, right?
We come together in the spirit of sport but with the will to win.
When that win comes, there is no better feeling.
Another win to glory, to the next goal, to the final, to win.
That classic quote about the journey and not the destination is true for this type of travel.
Those moments in the pub before the game, anticipating what is to come, mixed excited ness with nerves and expectation.
I remember that in Sao Paulo, at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, England needed to beat Uruguay to stay in the competition.
The journey there was tense, the pre-match anthems patriotic and the game nerve-wracking.
We were disappointed to go behind in the game, but Wayne Rooney scored an equalizer, and we were back in the competition. I have never celebrated a goal like it!
I still remember it to this day. Ball across the box, bundled in at the back post. Bedlam.
For the next ten minutes, we dominate, searching for the winner we desperately need, and then…heartbreak.
Luis Suarez smashes one in to break our hearts.
We are out of the World Cup and heading home sombre. There is a deafening silence as we filter out to the train station near the stadium.
This match defines what a journey could be like on your trip to a sporting event.
I look back on the devastation, but what a journey and trip. We fly from Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo, attend a match that thousands of people would dream of going to, and witness sporting history.
We were truly blessed to be there, and it is something that I look back fondly on.
Let's flip that scenario around to the Ashes in 2010. A group of my friends and I travelled to Australia to watch the England Cricket team win the first series there in over two decades.
It is iconic. Those balmy sunny days in Melbourne watching England win are memories that will never go away. It is probably up there with my favourite events ever.
What was the aftermath like after four days of play and a resounding win?
A bit of an anti-climax. All the partying, drinking and singing had been done in the lead-up to that last day in Melbourne.
What does this mean?
The journey and shared experiences with your friends and new friends are essential. The journey, not the destination, is what I remember from my experiences!
Can you spot me in the crowd? Taken at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the fourth test vs Australia in 2010.
Mixing in travel activities enhances your trip as you take a break from the journey of the sporting event.
Whenever we go away for the tournament, we always have admin days, which are used to book travel for the rest of the trip, plan activities, or pay for the hotel.
This is a great way to break up the event as you embark on some traditional travel activities, such as visiting a museum, hiking up to a viewpoint, indulging in local food, or visiting a well-known landmark.
When based in Paris for over two weeks with a group of 15 lads, there were always different plans each day for various events.
On days off from the tournament, I went to a psychedelic music festival, to the top of the Eiffel Tower and the Catacombs.
In Rio de Janeiro, we were asked to do a photo shoot next to the Christ of Redeemer statue. We spent mornings on Ipanema Beach and embarked on a favela tour in Rochina Favella. We mixed it up to get as much of the Brazilian experience as possible.
In Perth, Australia, we had some days to acclimatize to the new timezone and blisteringly hot weather, so we went to a new beach every day like Rockingham, Freemantle, Cottesloe and Scarborough, glorious days out.
I would advise not to plan too much for these days. Just pick a location, wander around, make it up as you go along, and see where the day takes you because, on the other days, they are planned out almost to the tee around the sporting event.
In 2015, my friend Craig and I decided to road trip the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne to Adelaide; it was great to experience 50-degree weather and see something different than the cricket.
Our group’s philosophy is usually to be based in one place for the duration.
France 2016 is a classic example. We had Airbnb in Paris, then took the train to each city hosting our games.
This gives you a sense of calm and a homely feel when you need a day off.
You need to plan tactically to avoid burn-out.
Going at it full pelt every day is tough going and probably easier when you are younger, but you need to pick your battles, pick your days of sightseeing, pick your days to go hard and try to make it a wholesome experience.
The Christ of Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
A purpose-filled structure to your travels can be a welcome change.
As you know, the philosophy behind my travels matches the podcast name Winging It.
I firmly believe that when I travel, I never plan too much. I get in, plan the day as I go along, and have a rough idea of the big things to see and do.
However, sports travel is a different and welcome change for me.
During the two weeks, I will know what games I am going to, where it will be and with transport booked in advance.
You have to do this for popular sporting events like the World Cup, as tickets are snapped up quickly, trains are booked, and flights get expensive the closer you get to the event.
It requires planning.
It releases the pressure.
I experienced my first tour group travel experience in Lebanon last year; it was quick-paced, relentless and hardcore with the senses.
It was one experience after another to digest; it was tiring, but it was rewarding, and I could sit back and be told where to go and what to do on that given day. I could do more in the future.
In Barbados, we had an apartment right next to the beach, and some days, we would laze by our swimming pool in the complex or chill on the beach; it was a dream.
Take me back!
Sometimes, when we travel, we can wander aimlessly, get agitated because everything seems the same day to day, feel no purpose, or even get bored.
I must admit, this doesn’t happen often with me as I can be alone with a book or my headphones and do nothing for the day.
However, this will not be as frequent going forward, as I now have multiple projects to maintain and money to make while travelling.
This will be a new challenge to me as I need to plan days off from travel and work on the road to do nothing and be chilled, this is key to travel.
However, what is also key is having a purpose when traveling; this is where I can leverage my experience from my sporting events to implement it into my future travels to make sure I get the right balance.
I am excited about my travels going forward!
Lapa Steps in Rio de Janeiro
Check out my latest YouTube episode in Portland, USA.
Other ways to support the podcast
My Patreon for Roaming with Hammo - support me today!
Supporting the podcast can be quick, easy and free. You can visit the platform you use for listening to podcasts and leave a five-star review and a nice little comment to go hand-in-hand. Check out my podcast page here.
Alternatively, you can contribute to the podcast by using my Buy Me A Coffee page where you can buy me a nice coffee for $5 whilst I conduct the interviews or click the button below.
I would imagine most people listening to the podcast and reading this article are travel enthusiasts, so another way to support the podcast would be using my affiliate links to book flights, accommodations, tours, transport, and so much more. Click here to use them today!
My Instagram promotion for my latest solo episode
Final thoughts.
Sports travel requires planning, so get started early!
We are already discussing the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, agreeing to pick a base and submit our ticket applications early.
I am even debating whether to do the tournament over the month, make a big trip out of it by combining the matches across all three countries, and get in some classic travel stuff.
I am buzzing already and thinking about this. This is what I live for, and I think about travel every day alongside food and Jimi Hendrix.
Watch out for more episodes in the future, as I have some guests lined up to talk more about this subject.
This episode is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, Audible, and YouTube, as well as anywhere you get your podcasts!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram too!