Conceptualising the Global Touristic Football Club

Abstract

In recent years, tourists have incorporated visiting international football clubs as part of their travel itineraries, including taking behind-the-scenes stadium tours, visiting team museums, and attending matches. This conceptual paper considers the factors leading to football clubs becoming global tourist attractions. In considering the development of these ‘Global Touristic Football Clubs’ (GTFC), this study offers compelling evidence of how tourism plays a significant role in the global aspirations of football clubs while shedding light on how a club’s global tourism status may impact the management of match-day experiences, the design of marketing strategies and hospitality programs, the sustainability of football cultures and traditions, and players’ transfer market decisions. Additionally, the study draws attention to the recent influence of geopolitical and economic factors in making clubs with less relevant sporting achievements become tourism magnets and opens up possibilities for replication and adaptation of the concept in other sports.