See the best of European football without having to wait for the next World Cup.
If you haven’t gotten enough soccer, a quick flight from London will allow you to continue your tour in Spain, starting in the capital with Real Madrid. With an overwhelming number of championships in its history, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) presented the club with a “Best Club of the 20th Century” trophy. Not a bad accolade.
Game tickets at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu are made available to the public after first being offered to season ticket holders and club members. You can check availability and purchase tickets on the official club Web site. Ticket prices start around €50 (about $79). Additionally, ticket offices across Madrid sell any available tickets the week before a game. Like those in England, a tour of the stadium and the club museum are available on non-match days. Tour prices cost €15 (about $24) for adults and €10 (about $16) for children aged 5-14.
Manchester United
www.manutd.com
Ticket Information: +44 0870 442 1968
Arsenal
www.arsenal.com
Ticket Information: +44 020 7704 4242
Real Madrid
www.realmadrid.com
Ticket Information: +34 902 324 324
FC Barcelona
www.fcbarcelona.com
Ticket Information: +34 93 496 36 00
To wrap up your European soccer tour, visit the Camp Nou, home of FC Barcelona. The massive stadium, holding almost 100,000 spectators, is perhaps the most famous stadium in the world. What sets it apart is not the structure itself, but the passion of the Barcelona faithful, sure to provide a fitting conclusion to your trip.
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The general public can purchase tickets online through the FC Barcelona Web site beginning one month prior to the game. Given the size of the stadium, only major matches tend to sell out (games against Real Madrid, Seville and Champions League opponents). A program that allows season ticket holders to return their tickets might free up your options as the game date nears, so check back if you don’t find tickets for the game you’re looking for. Ticket prices start at €73 (about $114).
If you’d like to add more cities to your itinerary, Footietravel.com has hotel, travel and ticket information for most of the major clubs in Europe. Wherever soccer takes you, experiencing the best of the beautiful game is sure to be a memorable trip.
Comments
2 Comments on this article | read all commentsby alexjtraveler on May 9, 2008
Great experience I recently attended my first 'futbol' game in Buenos Aires. The crowd was insanely energized, intense and fun. Hundreds of fireworks were fired from the crowd, chants shook the stadium. You can't help but caught up in the excitement. (At least that's the case if the home team is winning.) It was one of the highlights of our trip.
by SwissMissy on May 7, 2008
The real football This guide to see Europe's football powerhouses seems like a great introduction to the "Beautiful Game." I would love to take one of those stadium tours!