Away days, sorted: National Express to the beautiful game

Away days, sorted: National Express to the beautiful game

As the football season kicks off again, we at National Express are here for the fans. Whether you follow football for the drama, the tactics, the goals… or just the snacks, one thing’s certain: some matches are worth getting on a plane for. And whether you’re heading out for kick-off or coming home after the final whistle, we’ll get you to and from the airport in comfort. No awkward taxi queues, no overpriced parking, just an easy ride.

Here’s our whistle-stop tour of this season’s most electrifying football cities:

Borussia Dortmund – Dortmund, Germany

You don’t just watch football at Signal Iduna Park – you feel it. Home to the legendary Yellow Wall, where 25,000 fans stand, sing, and generally defy the laws of noise pollution. Dortmund itself offers gritty charm, great beer, and the kind of post-match atmosphere that lingers in your ears long after you’ve flown home.

✈️ Fly to Dortmund or Düsseldorf

Olympique de Marseille – Marseille, France

The Vélodrome isn’t so much a stadium as it is a cauldron – full of sun-drenched fury, Mediterranean swagger, and seafood so good you’ll forgive the locals for shouting about it at full volume.

✈️ Fly to Marseille Provence

SSC Napoli – Naples, Italy

In Naples, football is a religion and Diego Maradona is a saint. Stadio Diego Armando Maradona is part cathedral, part carnival, and wholly unforgettable. If you somehow need more excitement after 90 minutes, the city’s pizza will finish the job.

✈️ Fly to Naples

Athletic Club – Bilbao, Spain

San Mamés is nicknamed The Cathedral for a reason – and not just because it’s sacred ground to the locals. Athletic Club’s Basque-only player policy means every match is steeped in homegrown pride. Post-match, the pintxos await.

✈️ Fly to Seville

Benfica – Lisbon, Portugal

Estádio da Luz delivers football with actual eagles in the pre-match show. Yes, really. Add Lisbon’s charming trams, colourful tiles, and sunlit river views, and you’ve got yourself the perfect away day.

✈️ Fly to Lisbon Portela

Atlanta United – Atlanta, USA

A team that’s redefining US football: 70,000 fans, a stadium with more gadgets than a spy film, and enough Southern food to fuel a squad for a season. The atmosphere is less ‘quietly polite’ and more ‘carnival that accidentally booked a football pitch’.

✈️ Fly to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta

And remember: We can’t guarantee the score, but we can guarantee a seat on your National Express coach from the airport when you get back – no penalty shootouts required.

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