The Footy Travelers – Details, episodes & analysis

Think having your honeymoon covered by your favorite football club is nothing but a pipe dream? Well wake up and listen to this special BONUS episode, where we sit down with Matthew Eide from Far Away Football (check out Ep 73 if you missed his other incredible stories!) to reveal how he scored an all-expenses-paid getaway to the Seychelles, courtesy of Manchester City and their corporate powerhouse sponsor. And don’t forget to leave us a rating and review if you’re as amazed by his story as we are!

Watch the story unfold, including the moment Matthew & Liz discover the Premier League Champions trophy in their suite. 

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*JOIN US ON OUR NEXT TRIP*

Head to FootyTravelers.com to learn more about our UK trip in November/December and how you can join us on all the footy travel adventure we have planned! Or hop directly onto the waitlist.

Fellow footy travelers experience the game outside their hometowns all the time, but have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a globe-trotting footy fan with multiple once-in-a-lifetime experiences? In this episode, Matthew Eide of Far Away Football takes us on an absolute journey! From a 10-goal spectacle in a Bhutanese stadium fit for a king, to two unforgettable footy moments in the Seychelles, this is one episode you won’t want to miss. With professional soccer connections stretching as far as the Solomon Islands, Matthew might even have a surprise for you at the end of this one (wink wink)!

Foot(y)notes:

• SPOILER ALERT: If you want to listen to the BONUS Episode with Matthew before its release next week, simply head to footytravelers.com/podcast
  
  
• If you're planning a trip to Bhutan, know before you go.
  
  
• Show your love for the global game with an Icarus FC kit of your own!
  
  
• Follow Thimphu City FC on Instagram and tell them that you heard about them in this episode.

*RATE & REVIEW*

Wherever you're listening, be sure to hit 'Follow' or 'Subscribe', leave us a star-rating, and if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, leave us a proper review to let others know what you think of the show!

PLUS YOU CAN WIN A FOOTY TRAVELERS SWAG BAG...

If you email us ([email protected]) a screenshot of your recent review, and your mailing address, we'll send one your way!

They say the clothes make the man. Although we would say, the clothes make the fan. Especially if that fan is heading into a stadium for a club match. Wearing away gear. And is not planning on sitting in the away supporters section. In which case, we say, the clothes make the fan… a target. In today’s episode, our guest, FFT Rob Cervantes, shares an experience he had recently wearing Crystal Palace gear into Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - and then promptly getting kicked out. It’s a story that comes with a lesson for all footy travelers: know before you go.

03:58 | Presenting Rob a very prestigious, highly sought-after award

06:22 | A visualization exercise

08:04 | Rob identifies as a Palace supporter

09:16 | Locating the seats, assuming they're GA

13:22 | Approached by the steward, "You gotta go"

17:52 | A very lonely train ride

24:22 | Some ideas for playing it safe and a Jedi mind trick

28:22 | Rob gets a further suspension

30:37 | Gaining final clarity

36:06 | Colin twists the knife

38:03 | The official policies of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium "Premium" areas

Foot(y)notes:

• Rob said his seats were in a “midfield” section of the stadium, near the club suites, which sounds like a “premium area”. After our conversation, we found these rules for premium areas on the stadium’s website.
  
  
• England is the most sought-after place to watch club football in the world right now, which is leading to more away fans getting a ticket among the home fans.
  
  
• Poor Harry Kane. Once a (trophyless) Spur, always a (trophyless) Spur.
  
  
• All the goals Rob missed seeing that now infamous day.

*RATE & REVIEW*

Wherever you're listening, be sure to hit 'Follow' or 'Subscribe', leave us a star-rating, and if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, leave us a proper review to let others know what you think of the show!

*VISIT THE FOOTY TRAVELERS FAN SHOP*

Head to our new fan shop to 'Kop' an exclusive Footy Travelers 'Away' jersey, or score a custom-designed supporters' scarf. Hurry though! Jerseys are nearly sold out and scarf supplies won't last long!

*SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS*

Race2Adventure

From the stunning scenery of Chile to the captivating allure of New Zealand – R2A invites you to join them on an exhilarating vacation around the world. Their 8-night adventures are tailor-made for fitness enthusiasts, explorers, and travel aficionados who crave more from their vacations. With R2A, you don’t just visit a destination; you become a part of it.

World Cup 2022 was a bizarre story that began in 2010, over a decade before the tournament even kicked off.  It was (still is we suppose) a story centered on corruption, human rights, and a gaudy display of power and wealth. It was also a bizarre experience on the ground, for fans, journalists, and even the teams playing (probably). It was made even more bizarre for American fans, and in particular fans, friends, and family of journalist Grant Wahl after Grant collapsed in the press box of the Argentina/Netherlands quarterfinal, and was later pronounced dead at Hamad General Hospital. Anyone who knew Grant, or at least his journalism, knows that he was a special human. He was an advocate, and before his death was famously detained outside Al Bayt Stadium early on at World Cup 2022 for wearing a rainbow on his t-shirt. But Grant wasn't the only person who experienced this. In today's episode, we hear from Brian Davis, a fellow footy traveler who had met Grant through US Soccer circles, and who had a similar experience in Qatar.

Part 1:

0:49 | Death & taxes

2:27 | Recalling the 'scandals' of World Cup Qatar 2022

3:44 | Grant Wahl's final reports

8:53 | How to get your wife to an away WCQ

15:01 | Meeting Fernando Fiore and Rob Stone

17:15 | Meeting Grant Wahl

Part 2: 

21:19 | Sharing Grant's experience with rainbows in Qatar

24:10 | Things get physical

30:10 | The State Department is calling

Foot(y)notes:

• Grant Wahl's "Qatar Chronicles" leading up to World Cup 2022: Part 1 and Part 2
  
  
• Grant's original Tweet about getting held up outside Ahmed bin Ali Stadium ahead of USA v Wales
  
  
• Grant's brother Eric's video reaction to news of Grant's death
  
  
• Rob Stone's touching tribute to Grant on Fox's WC22 broadcast
  
  
• Dr. Céline Gounder's (Grant's wife) explanation of Grant's cause of death
  
  
• Coming in June: The best of Grant Wahl

...as in "In Real Life" (we know Wrexham isn't in Ireland - duh!). That's right! Today's guests went and lived out your favorite footy documentary (or Mike's at least) in person. Join us as we chat with return FTP guests Mark "Eagleman" Cranston and Lila "Wonder Woman" Asnani about their recent trip to Wales for Wrexham home and away matches, and, of course, some great travel tips - not the least of which is how to get your hands on some sometimes hard-to-come-by match tickets.

Foot(y)notes:

• Learn more about Mark & Lila's trip to Wrexham and how to make yours happen by visiting Mark's website: EaglemanSoccer.com
  
  
• Check out the full "Always Sunny in Wrexham" song by the Declan Swans...
  
  
• ...and their YouTube homepage.
  
  
• Yes, Mark knows Roger Bennett.

03:42 | Cien 'Dos a Cero's

05:35 | Finding an English League team

06:55 | Getting to Wrexham

08:56 | Staying in Wrexham

10:07 | Getting around in Wrexham

11:37 | Night before (NB4) party

14:02 | (Officially) Welcomed to Wrexham

15:22 | "Less than a mile from the centre of town..."

17:18 | Getting match tickets

19:10 | Meeting Wayne Jones 'on his Turf'

21:40 | Price of Wrexham tickets

22:39 | Wrexham away days

25:01 | (Less than) 15 minutes of fame

27:40 | The Racecourse + where to sit

31:20 | Celebrity sightings

32:43 | What to wear to a match

35:42 | Welcome to Wales + What to do in and around Wrexham

37:59 | The most picturesque area in Europe

43:14 | "Up the Town!"

*RATE & REVIEW*

Wherever you're listening, be sure to hit 'Follow' or 'Subscribe', leave us a star-rating, and if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, leave us a proper review to let others know what you think of the show!

*VISIT THE FOOTY TRAVELERS FAN SHOP*

Head to our new fan shop to 'Kop' an exclusive Footy Travelers 'Away' jersey, or score a custom-designed supporters' scarf. Hurry though! Jerseys are nearly sold out and scarf supplies won't last long!

*SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS*

Race2Adventure

From the stunning scenery of Chile to the captivating allure of New Zealand – R2A invites you to join them on an exhilarating vacation around the world. Their 8-night adventures are tailor-made for fitness enthusiasts, explorers, and travel aficionados who crave more from their vacations. With R2A, you don’t just visit a destination; you become a part of it.

One question we’ve been asked a lot recently is whether or not we’re planning to attend and cover any Olympic soccer matches this summer in Paris. We will be in Europe for EURO 2024 in Germany after all. Sadly though, we can’t do it all. So, we figured we’d deliver the next best thing. 

In today’s episode we’re bringing you a recent conversation with French Football Superfans Pascal, Joris, & Lennie - a father, son and daughter trio we met in Qatar during World Cup 2022. And if you’re a fan who pays attention to all the micro-events happening around international soccer - for example, things like the World Cup draw - chances are you’ve seen at least one of them yourselves. That’s because Joris (15) and Lennie (11), under the guidance of Pascal of course, have been footy travelers since at least the age of 2, and they have had some incredibly unique and high profile experiences you’re going to love hearing about! They also share some local insights for the upcoming Olympics being hosted in Paris.

Foot(y)notes:

• Watch Joris walk out on stage at the Qatar 2022 World Cup Draw with Didier Deschamps.

• Follow Pascal, Joris, Lennie, and their continual footy travel adventures on their Instagram account (@FootSouvenir).
  
  
• Here's more info on tickets to Olympic footy this summer in Paris.
  
  
• Zidane's final moments as a footballer... and the video that Pascal avoided for 25 years.

*RATE & REVIEW*

Wherever you're listening, be sure to hit 'Follow' or 'Subscribe', leave us a star-rating, and if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, leave us a proper review to let others know what you think of the show!

*VISIT THE FOOTY TRAVELERS FAN SHOP*

Head to our new fan shop to cop an exclusive Footy Travelers 'Away' jersey, or score a custom-designed supporters' scarf. Hurry though! Jerseys are nearly sold out and scarf supplies won't last long!

*SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS*

Journey to the Games - "Paris is calling!"

If you're still looking for accomodation in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics, email Merritt Hopper, Founder & Event Director for Journey to the Games at: [email protected]

If you’ve attended or watched a major international soccer tournament recently, you’ve probably noticed an increasing prevalence of on-field and in-seat match hosts (and Coldplay), getting the crowd hyped for the game during the pre-game and half-time periods. In today’s episode, we’re joined, not simply by ‘one of these in-game hosts’, but perhaps by one of the most dynamic, positive-vibe energetic hosts out there right now - Najjah Calibur.

This is Part 2 of our conversation w/ this incredible international match host, and amazing international footy traveler. If you missed Part 1, we recommend starting with that, just ahead of this one in our feed. 

Foot(y)notes:

• Explore more of what Najjah and his entertainment crew do by checking out the Live Engine website.

• If you're curious about Najjah's own footy content project, check out FootyScoopsInDa6ix.
  
  
• His match host partner, Dancin' Wayne is a trip too!
  
  
• Get ready for your footy travel adventure in Toronto.

*RATE & REVIEW*

Wherever you're listening, be sure to hit 'Follow' or 'Subscribe', leave us a star-rating, and if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, leave us a proper review to let others know what you think of the show!

*VISIT THE FOOTY TRAVELERS FAN SHOP*

Head to our new fan shop to cop an exclusive Footy Travelers 'Away' jersey, or score a custom-designed supporters' scarf. Hurry though! Jerseys are nearly sold out and scarf supplies won't last long!

*SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS*

Race2Adventure

From the stunning scenery of Chile to the captivating allure of New Zealand – R2A invites you to join them on an exhilarating vacation around the world. Their 8-night adventures are tailor-made for fitness enthusiasts, explorers, and travel aficionados who crave more from their vacations. With R2A, you don’t just visit a destination; you become a part of it.

If you’ve attended or watched a major international soccer tournament recently, you’ve probably noticed an increasing prevalence of on-field and in-seat match hosts (and Coldplay), getting the crowd hyped for the game during the pre-game and half-time periods. In today’s episode, we’re joined, not simply by ‘one of these in-game hosts’, but perhaps by one of the most dynamic, positive-vibe energetic hosts out there right now - Najjah Calibur. A self-described ‘Spice Man’ from Grenada, living in Toronto, Najjah has hosted matches at both Men’s and Women’s World Cups, CONCACAF Gold Cups, and most recently at January and February’s Asian Cup in Qatar.

We discuss how someone becomes a match host in the first place, what it’s like to have fans turn on you, getting to see legends like Ronaldo and Zidane up close and personal, and what the scene is like in Qatar post-World Cup 2022. 

Not only is Najjah full of incredible, positive energy, he’s full of amazing, well-traveled insights and stories. So many in fact, that this conversation deserves to be delivered in full in a 2-part series ("Put some respect on it!" - Najjah). And so, this is Part 1 of our conversation w/ this incredible international match host, and amazing international footy traveler.

Foot(y)notes:

• If you or someone you know is struggling in their relationship with alcohol, you can call 1-800-662-4357 for confidential free help, or visit findtreatment.gov to find substance use treatment and information near you.

• Explore more of what Najjah and his entertainment crew do by checking out the Live Engine website.

• Check out the song Najjah almost sang live at the 2022 World Cup Final.

• As we asked Najjah, over one year after the 2022 World Cup, what has changed in Qatar?

• What the heck is Colin referring to with his 'Lindsay Horan' comment? This.

*RATE & REVIEW*

Wherever you're listening, be sure to hit 'Follow' or 'Subscribe', leave us a star-rating, and if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, leave us a proper review to let others know what you think of the show!

*VISIT THE FOOTY TRAVELERS FAN SHOP*

Head to our new fan shop to cop an exclusive Footy Travelers 'Away' jersey, or score a custom-designed supporters' scarf. Hurry though! Jerseys are nearly sold out and scarf supplies won't last long!

*SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS*

Race2Adventure

From the stunning scenery of Chile to the captivating allure of New Zealand – R2A invites you to join them on an exhilarating vacation around the world. Their 8-night adventures are tailor-made for fitness enthusiasts, explorers, and travel aficionados who crave more from their vacations. With R2A, you don’t just visit a destination; you become a part of it.

We're back with a debrief from Danny Navarro (@TravelFutbolFan; D.C. area) and Matt Marshall (@EatPrayBall; Los Angeles) following the CONMEBOL pre-sale window that opened on Thursday, February 22. Danny and Matt react to their experiences logging in and hunting for tickets, and share what to expect once tickets open up to the general public on February 28th. Colin also walks through his process and shares tips for getting to the front of the ticketing queue. If you want Copa tickets, you want to listen to this episode!

Foot(y)notes:

• Visit the official ticket page of the Copa America for all the precise details about ticket sales and presale windows.
  
  
• Here's the official match schedule for Copa.
  
  
• This is the article that helped us figure out where to buy Copa tickets once they're released.
  
  
• And this one confirms everything we know so far.

*RATE & REVIEW*

Wherever you're listening, be sure to hit 'Follow' or 'Subscribe', leave us a star-rating, and if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, leave us a proper review to let others know what you think of the show!

*VISIT THE FOOTY TRAVELERS FAN SHOP*

Head to our new fan shop to cop an exclusive Footy Travelers 'Away' jersey, or score a custom-designed supporters' scarf. Hurry though! Jerseys are nearly sold out and scarf supplies won't last long!

*SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS*

Race2Adventure

From the stunning scenery of Chile to the captivating allure of New Zealand – R2A invites you to join them on an exhilarating vacation around the world. Their 8-night adventures are tailor-made for fitness enthusiasts, explorers, and travel aficionados who crave more from their vacations. With R2A, you don’t just visit a destination; you become a part of it.

FINALLY! CONMEBOL has announced the release date for tickets to Copa America 2024 games. And it's... still "later" (February 28 to be exact). But hey, at least it's within the same calendar month that we're releasing this episode on it all! In this Footy Travelers "Need to Know NTK)" episode, we go coast to coast with FFT guests in Danny Navarro (@TravelFutbolFan; D.C. area) and Matt Marshall (@EatPrayBall; Los Angeles) to discuss where to get official Copa tickets, which platforms each host stadium is selling tickets on, and some awesome ideas for how to maximize attending both the Copa America and the Euro 2024 tournaments.

Foot(y)notes:

• Visit the official ticket page of the Copa America for all the precise details, and info on all the different presales (enough to make you dizzy!).
  
  
• Here's the official match schedule for Copa, and here's the one for the Euros.
  
  
• Keep an eye on the Euro website for details on the resale platform opening up later in March (or so we're told).
  
  
• This is the article that helped us figure out where to buy Copa tickets once they're released.
  
  
• And this one confirms everything we know so far.

*RATE & REVIEW*

Wherever you're listening, be sure to hit 'Follow' or 'Subscribe', leave us a star-rating, and if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, leave us a proper review to let others know what you think of the show!

*VISIT THE FOOTY TRAVELERS FAN SHOP*

Head to our new fan shop to cop an exclusive Footy Travelers 'Away' jersey, or score a custom-designed supporters' scarf. Hurry though! Jerseys are nearly sold out and scarf supplies won't last long!

*SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS*

Race2Adventure

From the stunning scenery of Chile to the captivating allure of New Zealand – R2A invites you to join them on an exhilarating vacation around the world. Their 8-night adventures are tailor-made for fitness enthusiasts, explorers, and travel aficionados who crave more from their vacations. With R2A, you don’t just visit a destination; you become a part of it.