How to plan a youth football tour abroad
- Last reviewed
- 6 min read
- For sports teams
The short answer
A youth football club needs approval from The FA, applied for through its county FA, before it tours abroad or plays foreign opposition. It also needs a safeguarding plan built on The FA's Guidance Note 5.4: in-date FA DBS checks for adults directly responsible for children, signed consent and medical forms, a qualified first aider, insurance that covers the trip, and supervision ratios set by risk assessment. Start with the county FA form, then book travel, accommodation and fixtures.
Key takeaways
- London FA says a club needs The FA's approval before a tour abroad or a match against foreign opposition. One-off matches against teams from Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales do not need permission, but matches against the Republic of Ireland and other FIFA countries do.
- The approval form goes through your county FA. London FA's page publishes no approval timescale, so apply before you pay any non-refundable deposit.
- The FA's Guidance Note 5.4 expects an in-date FA DBS check for anyone directly responsible for children, a qualified first aider, signed permission forms, and a home contact who is not travelling.
- The NSPCC recommends at least two adults for any group, and a minimum of 1 adult to 10 young people aged 13 to 18, or 1 to 8 for ages 9 to 12. Your risk assessment may require more.
- Staff and players must not share a room. Children aged 12 or younger should ideally share a twin or triple room, with players of the same sex and each with their own bed.
- Every traveller needs a valid passport. For the Schengen area, a UK passport must be less than 10 years old on arrival and valid for 3 months after departure.
Who has to approve a youth football tour abroad?
Football tours are regulated by The FA through county FAs, so approval comes before bookings. London FA states that clubs need to get approval from The FA before going on a tour abroad or playing foreign opposition, and asks clubs to complete its approval form and return it to the county FA.
| Fixture | Permission needed? |
|---|---|
| One-off match against a team from Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales | No |
| Match against a team from the Republic of Ireland | Yes |
| Match against a team from any other FIFA country | Yes |
| A tour abroad | Yes |
Each county FA runs its own form and process, and London FA's page does not give an approval timescale. Contact your county FA as soon as you have target dates and a likely destination, and treat approval as a condition of paying deposits. If the host tournament or club also needs your national association's consent, ask them what they require and when.
What safeguarding arrangements does a youth tour need?
The FA's Guidance Note 5.4 on travel, trips and tournaments applies to youth teams and to open-age clubs with 16 and 17 year olds. For an overnight trip it expects:
- A named person with overall responsibility for the trip, appointed through safer recruitment procedures.
- An in-date FA DBS check for anyone directly responsible for children on behalf of the club.
- A club welfare officer who has completed The FA's safeguarding training, and a clear route for reporting concerns.
- Signed permission forms covering each activity, including non-football activities such as swimming, and confirmation that the insurance covers them.
- A qualified first aider, an up-to-date first aid kit and awareness of any known medical conditions.
- A point of contact at home who is not travelling and holds the list of everyone on the trip with contact details.
- An incident form to record issues and the action taken, and a Safe-Away card for every child with team manager, hotel and emergency numbers.
The NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit adds guidance for overnight and international trips, including headcounts before anyone boards transport, one member of staff boarding first and another last, and parents being given the accommodation details and kept updated about delays or cancellations. For wider coverage, see our guide to safeguarding on junior sports team trips.
How many adults do you need?
The FA says adult-to-child ratios must be based on the children's ages, the risk of the activity and any disability needs, and that the male or female group should always have a staff member of the same gender. The NSPCC publishes minimum recommended ratios, which always assume at least two adults:
| Age of children | Minimum ratio (adults to children) |
|---|---|
| 4 to 8 | 1 to 6 |
| 9 to 12 | 1 to 8 |
| 13 to 18 | 1 to 10 |
The NSPCC gives the example that 25 young people aged 13 to 18 need three adults. These are minimums. Raise the number if the group is young, travel days are long, there are pools or other higher-risk activities, or players have additional needs.
What do players and parents need to do before departure?
- Passports. Check every passport against the destination's rules. For the Schengen area, GOV.UK requires a UK passport to be issued less than 10 years before arrival and valid for at least 3 months after you leave. Our passport and visa checklist has worked examples.
- Non-UK passports. Check visa needs for any player or adult who is not a British citizen, and allow time for applications.
- Consent and medical forms. Collect signed forms, medical details, dietary needs and emergency contacts before departure, store them securely, and leave a copy with the home contact.
- Health cover. The FA recommends checking that insurance covers the group abroad and that British children bring a GHIC. GOV.UK states that an EHIC or GHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance.
- Rules for the trip. Agree a code of conduct with the players, including the consequences of breaking it, and brief parents at a meeting before you travel.
How should you plan flights, transfers and accommodation?
Book travel only after the fixtures and approval are settled, then plan backwards from the first match. Our guide to sports team travel logistics covers timing and kit, and group flights explained covers deposits and name deadlines.
- Accommodation: The FA's questions are a useful checklist: secure parking, a current fire certificate, night-time security, dietary provision, safe storage for valuables and single beds for everyone.
- Rooms: Agree who shares with whom before you go, but expect changes as friendships shift. Spread staff rooms so a group over three floors has at least one adult room on each.
- Hazards: Check balconies, unguarded pools and any bar and its rules.
- Transfers: Ask coach operators to confirm drivers' hours for long match days. See airport to hotel transfers for groups.
How Roamly can help
Roamly Travel plans group flights and logistics for sports teams, including transfers, accommodation and rooming lists built around your fixtures. You can start with the free trip timeline builder and travel risk assessment tool, or contact us with your dates and squad size. Safeguarding and approval decisions stay with your club, county FA and governing body.
Sources
- London FA: Rules and regulations (tours abroad and foreign opposition)
- The FA: Guidance Note 5.4, Travel, trips and tournaments
- NSPCC Learning (Sport): Overnight trips and international travel
- NSPCC Learning (Sport): Staffing and supervision ratios
- GOV.UK: Foreign travel insurance
- GOV.UK: Spain travel advice, entry requirements
General guidance only, checked against the sources above on 30 October 2026. Entry rules, airline policies and official advice change, so confirm the current position with the linked source before you travel.