A football weekend can be a brilliant excuse for a family getaway. The only problem? Not everyone in the family may be quite as excited about spending 90 minutes watching football.
The good news is that a football trip does not have to revolve entirely around the match. With a little planning, it can become a city break that gives everyone something to look forward to.
Choose a destination with plenty to do
If you are travelling with children or family members who are not football fans, think beyond the stadium when choosing your destination.
Cities such as London, Manchester, Liverpool, Barcelona and Milan combine major football clubs with museums, parks, shopping, restaurants and family attractions. That means one person can get their football fix without everyone else feeling as though the entire weekend has been planned around it.
Sort out the match first
Before booking accommodation and filling your itinerary, decide which match you want to attend.
Fixtures and ticket prices can have a big impact on the overall cost of the weekend. It is worth looking at several games rather than automatically choosing the biggest fixture available.
You can use TicketSeal, a football ticket comparison platform, to compare ticket options from different marketplaces and choose a match that suits your dates and budget. Once you know which game fits your dates and budget, it becomes much easier to organise everything else.
A less high profile match can sometimes be a better choice for families, particularly if it leaves more money available for meals, attractions and other activities.
Give everyone a say
One simple way to keep the weekend balanced is to let each family member choose an activity.
Perhaps one person chooses the football match, another picks a museum, and the children choose an attraction or restaurant.
It turns the weekend into a shared experience rather than a football trip that everyone else happens to be attending.
Go behind the scenes
If you have time, consider booking a stadium tour before matchday.
For children, seeing the dressing rooms, players’ tunnel, dugouts and press areas can make the match much more interesting. It gives them a better understanding of everything that happens behind the scenes before the players even step onto the pitch.
Even family members who are not passionate about football may enjoy the history, architecture and stories connected to a famous stadium.
Make matchday part of the experience
Even non-football fans may enjoy some of the atmosphere surrounding a game.
Arriving early gives you time to explore the area, take photographs and experience the build-up. Some stadiums also offer tours or museums, which can make the visit more interesting for children who are less interested in what happens on the pitch.
For a child’s first match, arriving early can also make the experience feel less rushed and overwhelming.
Make room for souvenirs
A visit to the club shop can also become part of the experience.
Children might enjoy choosing a scarf, shirt or small souvenir to remember the trip. Setting a spending limit beforehand can help avoid an expensive last-minute shopping spree, while still giving them something personal to take home.
Stay somewhere convenient for the whole family
A hotel next to the stadium might seem like the obvious choice, but it is not always the most practical.
Staying near a city centre or major public transport connection can make it easier to reach both the football ground and the attractions everyone else wants to visit.
Think about the whole weekend rather than simply how quickly you can get to kick-off.
Remember that the match is only part of the trip
A football match may be the reason you booked the weekend, but it does not have to define it.
Plan a good family meal, visit somewhere new, explore the city and give everyone something they can get excited about.
Get that balance right and even the family member who could not care less about the final score might already be asking where the next football weekend will take you.
