One of the biggest travel stories to emerge from the FIFA World Cup hasn’t been the football – it’s the places fans are discovering beyond the stadiums. From viral videos of travellers falling in love with roadside America to hidden local traditions, the tournament is reminding people that some of the best travel experiences happen off the beaten path.
Intrepid Travel has rounded up 7 unique sporting traditions around the world that offer travellers a different way to experience local culture – from Mongolia’s Naadam Festival and Finland’s Tree Hugging World Championships to Colombia’s explosive game of Tejo.
With 57% of travellers saying they want to go off the beaten path and 43% looking for local festivals and events, these are the sporting spectacles worth planning a trip around.
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Naadam Festival, Mongolia | 11th–13th July
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The Tree Hugging World Championships, Finland | August
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Calcio Storico Fiorentino, Italy | June
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Tejo, Colombia | Year-round
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Highland Games, Scotland | May to September
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Baseball, South Korea | March to October
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Kabaddi, India | October to March
ALTERNATIVE SPORTING EVENTS
Naadam Festival, Mongolia | 11th–13th July
Mongolia’s annual Naadam Festival is one of the world’s oldest and most spectacular sporting events, seeing competitors test their strength, skill and endurance in wrestling, archery and horse racing – the three disciplines once considered essential for Mongol warriors. Travellers can go behind the scenes and meet the competitors on Intrepid 15-day Naadam Festival trip.
The Tree Hugging World Championships, Finland | August
Created to raise awareness about forest conservation, competitors from around the world gather in the HuliPuu-forest in the Finnish Arctic to compete for the honour of Tree Hugging World Champion. Travellers can meet the family behind the Tree Hugging World Championships – who also host the Intrepid’s ‘Arctic Cocooning’ experience – on its 5-day Finnish Lapland Winter Family Holiday.
Calcio Storico Fiorentino, Italy | June
Part football, part rugby and part wrestling, Calcio Storico Fiorentino is a centuries-old sporting tradition held each year in Florence where the city’s historic districts compete in a fiercely contested match that combines athleticism, strategy and spectacle. Travellers passing through Florence in June can secure tickets to witness this centuries-old tradition, which culminates with the championship final on 24 June each year.
Part football, part rugby and part wrestling, Calcio Storico Fiorentino is a centuries-old sporting tradition held each year in Florence where the city’s historic districts compete in a fiercely contested match that combines athleticism, strategy and spectacle. Travellers passing through Florence in June can secure tickets to witness this centuries-old tradition, which culminates with the championship final on 24 June each year.
Tejo, Colombia | Year-round
Colombia’s national sport, Tejo sees players throw metal discs across a clay court at targets containing small packets of gunpowder that explode on impact, creating an explosive twist on traditional target sports. Travellers get the chance to try their hand at Tejo on several Intrepid trips including Best of Colombia, Essential Colombia, Cafe Colombia, and Colombia Adventure & Lost City Trek.
Colombia’s national sport, Tejo sees players throw metal discs across a clay court at targets containing small packets of gunpowder that explode on impact, creating an explosive twist on traditional target sports. Travellers get the chance to try their hand at Tejo on several Intrepid trips including Best of Colombia, Essential Colombia, Cafe Colombia, and Colombia Adventure & Lost City Trek.
Highland Games, Scotland | May to September
From tossing tree trunks to testing feats of strength, the Highland Games are a centuries-old celebration of Scottish culture, bringing together athletic competition, music and tradition in communities across Scotland each summer. Travellers on Intrepid’s Premium Scotland and Essential Scotland trips can gain a deeper insight into this sporting tradition from their local guide and time their departures to coincide with selected games with the support from Intrepid’s Tailor Made team.
From tossing tree trunks to testing feats of strength, the Highland Games are a centuries-old celebration of Scottish culture, bringing together athletic competition, music and tradition in communities across Scotland each summer. Travellers on Intrepid’s Premium Scotland and Essential Scotland trips can gain a deeper insight into this sporting tradition from their local guide and time their departures to coincide with selected games with the support from Intrepid’s Tailor Made team.
Baseball, South Korea | March to October
South Korea’s professional baseball league is famous for its highly choreographed fan chants, dedicated cheer squads and passionate local rivalries, creating one of the most energetic stadium atmospheres in Asia. Travellers can attend a local baseball game as an optional activity on Intrepid’s 8-day South Korea Family Holiday and 9-day Essential South Korea trips.
South Korea’s professional baseball league is famous for its highly choreographed fan chants, dedicated cheer squads and passionate local rivalries, creating one of the most energetic stadium atmospheres in Asia. Travellers can attend a local baseball game as an optional activity on Intrepid’s 8-day South Korea Family Holiday and 9-day Essential South Korea trips.
Kabaddi, India | October to March
Once played primarily in the villages and farming communities of rural India, kabaddi remains one of the country’s most enduring traditional sports. Popular across northern India, the fast-paced full-contact game combines athleticism, strategy and community spirit, combining elements of tag, wrestling and rugby. Travellers can attend a local kabaddi match as an optional activity in the cooler season from October to March in Jaipur on Intrepid’s North India Highlights trip.
