From 16 August 2025, the Premier League kicks off across England – and with it, the country transforms. Streets buzz with fans, pubs overflow with matchday excitement, and stadiums pulse with anticipation. This is one of the country’s biggest sporting spectacles, watched by millions around the world. But nothing beats experiencing it live. Whether visitors are lucky enough to land stadium seats or catch the action in a pub or bar, matchday in Britain is electric. Alongside London’s powerhouse lineup of Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and more, the League’s 20 clubs are spread across cities and towns in England. From Manchester’s Old Traffordto the seaside vibe of Brighton and Hove Albion or the north-east duo of Newcastle and Sunderland, it’s easy to tie a match into any itinerary.
But the magic of football here isn’t just about matchday. There’s a whole world of behind-the-scenes tours and experiences across England, Wales and Scotland that bring visitors pitchside with the legends, history and excitement of the beautiful game.
Let’s kick things off in Manchester, where football royalty holds court in two of the sport’s most well-known stadiums. At the Etihad, home of Manchester City, fans can experience more than just silverware – they can walk the tunnel, sit pitchside, see where City’s elite teams train, and step into an immersive audio-visual experience that puts them inside the club’s defining moments. Just across the city, Old Trafford stadium is where history echoes off the brick walls. During Manchester United’s immersive tour of the stadium and museum, visitors can sit where legends sat, lift a replica trophy and hear the stories that gave it the nickname ‘The Theatre of Dreams’.
To dive even deeper into the sport’s legacy, visit the National Football Museum in central Manchester, home to the world’s largest public collection of football objects and archives. From historic football shirts to the original laws of the game from 1863, it brings football’s global story to life through hands-on exhibits and engaging displays.
And for those who think football and creative dining don’t mix – meet Café Football’s Game of Two Halves Afternoon Tea, served at Hotel Football with a view of Old Trafford itself. The hotel was co-founded by members of Manchester United’s legendary Class of ’92 – a generation of homegrown talent including David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, who rose through the youth ranks to dominate English football. Their pitch-themed tea swaps half-time pies for club-coloured cakes and scones.
Goodison Park, a home of Everton FC, offers a chance to tour one of English football’s oldest stadiums. While the men’s team is moving to a new state-of-the-art riverside ground in 2025, Everton Women will make Goodison Park their home. Enjoy the view from the Directors’ Box, explore the technical area, and visit the Media Centre to pose for a picture in the manager’s press conference chair.
In London, the Premier League gets seriously high-tech. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a sleek, architectural marvel with a retractable pitch, a glass-walled player walkway, and more than one way to explore it. Choose from an all-access Stadium Tour, an immersive Legends Tour with a former player, or take things up a notch – literally – with the Dare Skywalk, where adrenaline junkies can scale the stadium roof for jaw-dropping views and a peek into the inner sanctum from above. Got a need for speed? The F1 Drive Experience lets visitors race state-of-the-art karts around a track underneath the stadium. And for those whose football fandom leans more Richmond than real-life, there’s always the Ted Lasso Tour – a heartfelt homage to everyone’s favourite fictional coach, with stops at his favourite pub, the Crown & Anchor, and locker room hangouts across West London.
Over at Stamford Bridge in west London, Chelsea fans can dive deep into more than a century of triumphs and trophies. With its museum and behind-the-scenes access, including to the dressing room, press room, players’ tunnel and pitchside, the tour captures both the energy of the club and the excitement of the game.
At Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, visitors can opt for a self-guided stroll or be led around by a bona fide legend. Either way, they’ll explore dressing rooms, the players’ tunnel and a museum packed with gems – including Jens Lehmann’s goalkeeper gloves and Michael Thomas’ boots, worn as the ‘Gunners’ clinched the title at Anfield in 1989. Meanwhile, West Ham United’s London Stadium, built for the 2012 Olympic Games, is another London sporting highlight. What was once a track for champions now regularly hosts thousands offootball fans, as well as baseball and other events. On a stadium tour, visitors walk through the transformation – from Team GB to maroon-and-blue pride.
Across the border, Scotland is also packed with immersive footballing experiences. Visits should start with a visit to Ibrox Stadium, near Glasgow. From the Main Stand designed by renowned Scottish architect Archibald Leitch to the Rangers trophy room, this self-guided tour is full of history. Just outside the city, the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden Park awaits fans wanting to explore the roots of the game north of the border. Home to thousands of exhibits, the museum showcases everything from vintage match tickets from the 1960s onwards to a qualifying cup final ball from 1898. Visitors can also step into the Hampden Hall of Fame, showcasing Scotland’s lasting impact on the global game.
Meanwhile, Wrexham AFC in North Wales continues to ride a wave of global fame. Since Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over in 2020, the club has become a prime example of football’s power to inspire – from Netflix fame Welcome to Wrexham to real-life back-to-back-to-back promotions. Whether watching a match at the Racecourse Ground, the world’s oldest international football stadium still in use, or soaking in the atmosphere over a pint at The Turf pub, a watering hole with view of the pitch, football here is alive and kicking. And for fans ready to follow in Rob and Ryan’s footsteps, the Welcome to Wrexham Tour takes visitors behind the scenes – from locker room lore to community tales that prove football really can change lives.
