In August 2024, a group of promising young soccer players from the US arrived in Scotland to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime soccer tour.
The incredible initiative was led by US sporting goods retailer, SOCCER.COM in association with their preferred travel partner, inspiresport – Destination Sport Group’s youth development travel division.
SOCCER.COM’s Club Partner XI
SOCCER.COM partner with youth soccer organisations throughout the US to provide players, coaches and fans their club kit and gear. Through their Club Partner XI programme, SOCCER.COM Club Partners are invited to nominate elite talent to join the team on an inspiresport global tour, where they travel to Europe and spend a week immersed in the professional environment of a top professional soccer team.
Continuing for its third successive year, this season’s cohort was made up of boys and girls Under 15’s teams who travelled to Glasgow to spend time with 2023/2024 Scottish champions, Celtic F.C. This is the third successive year that SOCCER.COM and inspiresport have worked together on the Club Partner XI trip, with previous groups visiting Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Manchester City and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand.
The Itinerary
inspiresport are global specialists in sports development tours for clubs, schools and groups. Through their exclusive partnerships with world-class sports clubs, they offer unrivalled access and incredible experiences for visiting groups.
Highlights of the 2024 Club Partner XI tour included:
- Five training sessions at the Celtic F.C. training ground with professional academy coaches
- Two competitive friendly fixtures against the Celtic F.C. Academy and other competitive opposition
- Tickets to three live fixtures including Celtic’s Men’s and Women’s first teams and the Men’s Under 18’s
- Exclusive access to watch the Celtic women’s first team train
- Stadium tour of Celtic F.C. stadium, Celtic Park
- Stadium & museum tour of the Scottish FA’s National Stadium, Hampden Park
- Cultural day trip to Edinburgh
As well as arranging the tour activities, inspiresport also delivered all travel, accommodation and logistics for the visiting teams, coaches and supporters. Find out more about inspiresport’s sports development tour services.
The Result
Jackson Quarles, Vice President of Sales at SOCCER.COM, commented,
“SOCCER.COM is proud to offer our club partners the ability to nominate a player of outstanding ability for selection as part of our annual Club Partner XI trip.
Facilitated by our preferred travel partner, inspiresport, the Club Partner XI trip provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to a soccer-rich destination and experience life at elite professional club academies.
The trip incorporates training with high-level coaches and games against academy teams, all while experiencing culture, language and food during city sightseeing excursions including visits to professional soccer games at iconic stadiums.
These exclusive experiences have helped enrich players, coaches and fans as they continue their soccer journey and we look forward to future Club Partner XI trips.”
Phil Edwards, Senior Vice President of inspiresport Global, added,
“At inspiresport we believe in the power of travel and sport to enhance and enrich the lives of young people and their families – something this trip fully encapsulates.
I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of days with the group and was great to see everyone fully immerse themselves in both the culture and all soccer-related activities.
A fantastic effort by all involved and we’re already planning for 2025!”
Inspiresport is part of Destination Sport Group, a unique portfolio of sports travel businesses. Currently celebrating its 20th year anniversary, inspiresport deliver tailored sports development tours around the world ranging from Europe’s top football clubs to cricket tours in the Caribbean and rugby tournaments in South Africa.
Looking to organise a sports tour for your club, school or group? Visit inspiresport.com (UK) or inspiresportglobal.com (US).
