The period of July and August 2025 proved that there is no such thing as an ‘off-season’ when it comes to international sports travel. Destination Sport Group delivered a suite of travel management services to elite football and rugby teams across Europe, North America and Asia. From long-haul tours to training camps and friendlies, the group showcased its global reach and operational excellence.
Key highlights
- Throughout July and August, Destination Sport Group supported 20+ clients across 30+ locations worldwide.
- Projects ranged from standalone fixtures and training camps to global tours.
- Comprehensive travel management was provided for six long-haul tours across the USA, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea with 750+ travellers.
- Additional services were also delivered during the summer, including individual player travel, staff and scouting movements and a training camp for a group of elite football match officials.
Destination Sport Group balanced a busy pre-season with servicing competitive fixtures and tournaments including the FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, UEFA Super Cup and UEFA Club Competition qualification matches.
Global Pre-Season Tours
Destination Sport Travel coordinated extensive long-haul tours for several Premier League clubs, ensuring smooth travel and logistics across North America and Asia. West Ham United and Everton both travelled to the USA to compete in the Premier League Summer Series, while four other Premier League teams trusted Destination Sport Group to support their overseas pre-season tour schedule, including Tottenham Hotspur’s tour of Hong Kong and South Korea.
These tours involved a total of 750+ travelling personnel, requiring meticulous planning to support each club’s requirements across football and commercial departments. Destination Sport Group’s presence across global territories enabled its teams in North America and Asia to provide local expertise and on-the-ground support including accommodation, transportation and event management.
Managing Director of Destination Sport Asia, Kris Van Goetham, commented:
“We had seven core staff from Destination Sport Asia on site in Hong Kong and Tokyo to provide operational excellence to multiple top clubs from the Premier League. Working alongside our colleagues from the UK and Europe underlined our global strength and team spirit.”
Pre-Season Friendlies and Training Camps
Across Europe, Destination Sport Group supported a wide range of pre-season fixtures and training camps for rugby clubs, including Harlequins and Sale Sharks and football clubs such as Manchester City, Rangers and a host of elite European teams.
In total, 15+ clubs travelled to 25+ European destinations with the support of Destination Sport Group, competing in men’s and women’s senior team friendlies as well as academy matches.
Destination Sport Group also managed travel for several overseas clubs travelling to the UK to play in friendly fixtures, supporting visiting teams with travel and accommodation services.
Managing Director of Amaze, Ralf Staelhi, commented:
“Our pre-season delivery was a demonstration of Amaze’s operational agility. Our on-site teams worked closely with incoming clubs to ensure every detail was taken care of – allowing coaches and players to focus entirely on their match preparations.”
Balancing Pre-Season with Competitive Tournaments
The summer schedule had to be carefully balanced with competitive commitments. The group worked on the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 and supported multiple clients competing in the FIFA Club World Cup. Several clients were also involved in UEFA European qualification matches during the summer, in addition to Tottenham Hotspur’s participation in the UEFA Super Cup.
This complex calendar demanded agile planning and real-time adjustments, with Destination Sport Group constantly monitoring match results and schedule changes to provide a proactive travel service to its clients.
Team Travel Operations Manager at Destination Sport Travel, Marie Mort, commented:
“Looking from the outside in, summer can appear to be a quiet time in sport; however, it’s quite the opposite. Months of planning come to fruition with major competitions, long-haul tours and ongoing fixtures as well as ad hoc flights for player signings or medicals.”
Additional Pre-Season Travel Projects
Beyond team travel, Destination Sport Group delivered bespoke services for clients’ pre-season needs. These included overseas visits for individual players, complete with accommodation, transportation, and security services, as well as business and ad hoc travel for scouting missions, player signings and medicals.
A group of elite match officials also undertook an overseas training camp for the second consecutive year, further demonstrating the group’s versatility and reach. Finally, Manchester City U14 squad’s tour to San Diego was another example of the group’s commitment to supporting development squads with the same level of care and precision as senior teams.
Summary
Destination Sport Group remains uniquely positioned to meet the relentless demands of elite sports travel. Across July and August, our teams delivered complex travel and logistics solutions in more than 30 global locations, supporting 20+ elite clubs and organisations across football and rugby.
Whether managing long-haul tours for elite clubs, coordinating short-haul trips and training camps, or delivering bespoke travel for players, officials, and scouting staff, our integrated approach – powered by our specialist divisions – ensured every detail was handled with precision.
Our global footprint allows us to operate seamlessly across continents, adapt to changing schedules, and provide hands-on support both on-site and behind the scenes. Trusted by many of the biggest names in sport, Destination Sport Group continues to be the go-to partner for elite sports organisations seeking a reliable, agile, and globally connected travel management solution.
