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

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

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

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?

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

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)!

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)!

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)!

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

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.

*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!

*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.