Madrid
Watching football in Madrid is a wonderful experience. In this city, you will find four local clubs, from the global stars of Real Madrid and their noisy neighbors Atlético Madrid to the traditional local community club Rayo Vallecano and Getafe.
The stunning Santiago Bernabéu stadium is the home of Real Madrid, the now 14-time European champions. As for their local rivals, Atlético Madrid currently plays at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, a brand-new stadium located east of the city center. Don’t let the clean aesthetic of the stadium fool you the Atleti ultras are just as wild as any in Europe.
Don’t miss a Rayo Vallecano home game while visiting Madrid, the city’s third team, in Vallecas, the southern neighborhood of the city. One of the few remaining neighborhood clubs in the country’s professional soccer league, Rayo has always been in the shadow of Real Madrid and Atleti. Well known across Europe for their political activism their fans often display anti-racist, anti-fascist and anti-homophobic banners in the stadium.
Last, but by no means least, there is Getafe. Based in the Getafe region of Madrid, this club have been a La Liga mainstay for most of their relatively short existence. Their stadium may only hold just over 17,000 but that doesn’t mean their fans are any less passionate than any others in the Spanish capital. A football trip to Madrid is not complete without a visit to Getafe.
If you’re looking to base your football trip around Real Madrid, It’s hard to find a better bar with a great atmosphere near Santiago Bernabéu Stadium than El Refugio. Its friendly staff and friendly atmosphere make it a popular place for all football fans.
There are only a few small bars around the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, The Centro area of Madrid is a better place to eat and drink. Top recommendations include James Joyce Irish Pub Madrid on Calle de Alcalá, close to the Retiro metro station, and QW Madrid, which has plenty of big screens displaying a range of sports.
Rome
Rome isn’t just a Mecca for historians and lovers, the eternal city also has everything a football fan could want. The rivalry between AS Roma and Lazio is one of the most intense in all of the footballing world.
It all started in 1927 when three clubs joined forces to form AS Roma, Lazio were the only Roman club to refuse this offer and the clubs have been fighting it out ever since. Things are only intensified by the fact that they share a stadium, the 72,798 seater Stadio Olimpico.
The area around the stadium can be quiet so it might be best to consider heading into Prati, a nearby residential neighbourhood not far from the Vatican to eat, drink and explore. Here, you’ll find a wide selection of pubs and bars, Roman trattoria and pizzerias. Hostaria Dino e Toni is popular among both tourists and locals for its generous servings of house pastas and antipasti, or you could check out some live music at a local pub like Fonclea for a taste of Rome, before or after a game.
London
If you’re wanting to go on a football trip to London, make sure you have a spare couple of weeks, there is no city in Europe that has as many football clubs. There are currently seven clubs from the capital in the Premier League; Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Brentford and Fulham. Each club brings different things in term of stadiums and atmospheres.
Located just off of the Fulham Broadway tube stop, Stamford Bridge, the home of two-time Champions League winners Chelsea is the oldest stadium in London, although it doesn’t quite look the same as it once did. Chelsea fans have grown accustom to winning in recent years and as a result, have had some of the biggest names to ever kick a ball walkout onto the hallowed turf.
The Emirates stadium is one of the most modern in English football. Since leaving Highbury, Arsenal have struggled for silverware, but they remain of the sports most iconic clubs. The only club in the modern era to go an entire league campaign unbeaten, you can see the golden Premier League trophy on show in their museum.
It cost roughly £1 billion to build the amazing new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London. This brand new arena is arguably the best in the world, not only will you be able to watch magic from Harry Kane on the pitch, you’ll be able to enjoy some of the best food and drink you’ll find anywhere in the city.
Every other stadium in the city is worth a visit. West Ham’s London Stadium is massive, Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park produces one of the best atmospheres in the country, Brentford’s Community Stadium is small but feisty and Fulham’s Craven Cottage is a throwback to old-school English stadiums located in a beautiful part of the city. And that’s only the clubs in the Premier League, there are 15 other stadiums that would be worthy of a day out.
Glasgow
Football runs through the very veins of Glasgow. Scotland’s biggest city boasts not only Celtic Park and the Ibrox, but also the home of the national team, Hampden Park.
The Olde Firm derby between Celtic and Rangers is the bedrock of Scottish football. The two clubs are by far the most successful and well supported in Scotland, and this rivalry runs so deep that it influences the political and social spheres in the country.
Celtic Park and the Ibrox Stadium produce some of the most intimidating atmospheres in all sports, with many of the game’s greats, including Ronaldinho and Messi saying just how special these grounds are. Both are a must for any football fan.
Both clubs offer stadium and museums tours to show off their storied histories. Due to the potentially volatile nature of the support in Glasgow, it may be best for any visitor to stick to the city centre, although there is no shortage of pubs and bars for you to enjoy.
Dortmund
When Borussia Dortmund plays at home in the Westfalenstadion, football fans around the world drool. There are just over 24,000 people in the stadium’s Südtribüne, the largest all-standing terrace in the world. It has been nicknamed the “Yellow Wall” because of its incredible atmosphere.
It is easy to find great footballing destinations throughout the entire region of North Rhine-Westphalian. A half-hour drive from Dortmund will take you to Gelsenkirchen to visit Dortmund’s rival Schalke 04, while Leverkusen, Cologne, and Mönchengladbach are also nearby.
It’s hard not to go to Dortmund and treat yourself to some traditional German food and drink. Currywurst, brautwurst and every other kind of wurst are on offer in the city centre and outside the stadium. Unlike most places in Europe, you’re able to take beer into grounds in Germany. One of the best places for a hangout just before the game would be Strobels Bar, which is in the north-east section of the stadium. Apart from housing a large outdoor area, this place also serves excellent beer.
This list could have been so much longer, but here are some of the best cities in the world to spend time as a football fan.