The Footy Travelers Podcast

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.

The Footy Travelers Podcast is a sports podcast hosted by The Footy Travelers, with 96 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

The Footy Travelers hosts The Footy Travelers Podcast, a sports show with 96 episodes published.

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  The Footy Travelers Podcast

  The Case for Lower League American Soccer Post-World Cup | w/ Ryan Helfrick, President of the Tampa Bay Rowdies

  Jul 31, 202638 min

  The World Cup is over. Now what? Listen to our conversation with the president of one of America's oldest professional soccer clubs on why the answer might not be the MLS. In this episode, we sit down with Ryan Helfrick, President of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, to make the case that American soccer fans shouldn't limit their World Cup 2026 momentum to the top of the pyramid. The Rowdies are a two-time USL Championship-winning club with a history that predates the Buccaneers, the Rays, and the Lightning — and a matchday experience that any veteran footy traveler would recognize instantly. Ryan takes us inside historic Al Lang Stadium, unpacks the promotion and relegation conversation happening in American soccer right now, argues that the USL Championship is about to become the most high-stakes league in the country, and drops his own must-visit USL away days for footy travelers looking for a domestic road trip. If you're a North America-based footy fan wondering how to keep the World Cup magic going after Spain's confetti's been swept up—this is your answer! ✈️ Travel with us → footytravelers.com/trips Get our monthly newsletter → newsletter.footytravelers.com Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, X & YouTube → @footytravelers ⚽ Follow the Tampa Bay Rowdies → @TampaBayRowdies

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  The Footy Travelers Podcast

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

  Jun 3, 202639 min

  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

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  The Footy Travelers Podcast

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

  May 26, 202646 min

  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

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  Episode #79

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

  Dec 15, 202558 min

  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? I n 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?

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  Episode #78

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

  Oct 8, 202554 min

  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

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