According to research from Samford University, soccer has grown in both viewership and participation. More than 14 million are now playing soccer in the United States, whether that is participating in leagues such as the ECNL, AYSO, MLS Next, USYS, or state-run programs.
As the World Cup 2026 comes to the USA, Canada, and Mexico in under a year’s time, and more recently, the Club World Cup in the USA, further growth is expected to happen in soccer as a sport throughout the United States.
For instance, 80% of the parents surveyed agree that sports activity involves discipline and teamwork wherein their children participate. Soccer contributes towards establishing habits: for example, young people who participate in sports are eight times more likely to be active even at the age of 24 than those who have never played any kind of sport.
Apart from character building and the development of confidence, organized soccer activities promote the life skills development of youth, improving self-esteem, and assisting them in making friendships.
The foremost benefits your team can enjoy from their youth soccer tours to Europe, and why 2026 would be a year of great planning for your trip.
1. Exposure to Elite International Competition Playing Styles
Europe organizes hundreds of prestigious international youth tournaments each year. These tournaments also attract teams from all over the world, thus exposing young players to various forms and means of play. For instance, the Costa Daurada Cup that caters for both boys and girls soccer teams in the Costa Daurada area of Spanish Coastline, just 1 hour South of Barcelona, attracts teams from around the world every Easter.
Another competition would be the MIC Cup, held in the Costa Brava area, 1 hour north of Barcelona, which brings high level teams from around the globe to compete in one of Spring’s most decorated showcase of talent tournaments, with over 500 teams competing each year. See below a couple of soccer tournaments in Europe.
Competing at such tournaments further equips your players and team with opponents who have different soccer cultures, such as the tactical discipline of Northern Europe versus the flair of Southern Europe, and thus makes them more able to work in diverse styles. This, according to a travel expert, increases soccer IQ, as international play “introduces athletes to new strategies and playing styles, enriching their skill set.” This is also something college coaches use to identify players during the recruitment process.
Tips for Coaches: Use this exposure by having the kids maintain a travel journal or scrapbook of memories. They can add to this journal any observations about noted differences in their playing styles (e.g., “Spanish teams used quick short passes; Italian teams focused on strong defense”) and discuss in daily team meetings. Identify tactics that are promising for your team and help them get sharper and more adaptable on the pitch.
Here is what Chris Hayden, the Vice President of Youth Soccer at FC Dallas, had to say on his tour with DB Sports Tours.
2. Accelerated Skills Through High-Level Competition
Teenagers have shown tremendous growth in their play as they are often placed against international competition under high pressure. Two of the biggest youth tournaments in Europe today are possibly the Gothia Cup of Sweden — which is known as the youth world cup of youth soccer and welcomes around 1900 teams from 75 countries in a week-long competition — and the Donosti Cup of Spain, which attracts 900 teams from 290 different clubs around the world.
Both the Gothia Cup and Donosti Cup create such an environment that every match is intense, and every opponent meets the highest standards. That pushes players to take their technical skills and mental focus to the next level.
Tips for Coaches: While on tour, have matches recorded or streamed on a VEO or Hudl. Review those videos with players, identifying great tackle scenarios under pressure as well as missed passes or poor positioning. This can also be used by players in recruitment videos for college coaches to showcase a player’s skills in an international soccer tournament in Europe. Providing immediate feedback from high-level games helps much in the internalization of lessons by players. Every player should also be encouraged to set a personal skill goal for the tour (like improving weaker foot passing), with daily reports on how they are doing to the coaches.
3. Opportunities for Professional Coaching and Training
Top-notch European tours provide not just opportunities for games but also cultural experiences and academy training sessions, which aren’t usually available to American soccer teams. Travelling with DB Sports Tours will give your club, team and players access to some of Europe’s biggest Cat 1 and 2 academies with coaches from their club to train your players. This will also allow coaches to learn from a UEFA-certified coach who works with youth academy players on a daily basis
The UEFA Pro Licence is the highest diploma for coaching in Europe (obligating any trained coach to manage a top-division club), while the UEFA A Licence (just one step below) is intended for coaching elite youth and reserve teams. Their coaching with UEFA-licensed coaches uses technicality and tactics based on cutting-edge dribbling and advanced game strategies, while linking with their club methodology and philosophy
Take a recent experience and tour with DB Sports Tours with Ballyhoo SC, who had the opportunity to train with Fulham FC, West Bromwich Albion, Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bolton Wanderers during their recent tour of London and Manchester.
Listen and check out what the Michigan Rangers FC has to say about their recent experience.
4. Cultural Exchange and Team Bonding
Players traveling overseas with the team become much tighter-knit. Experiences outside the usual bounds of routine, from checking in and navigating airports to venturing into foreign cities, create a sense of friendship and trust. Teenage travel experts believe that “travel can strengthen the ties of teamwork. Sportsmen share wonderful memories, beyond the game, that enhance camaraderie with teammates.” European touring taught teammates mutual support on and off the pitch, from cheering each other up at games to working past the language barriers abroad.
In 2022, Florida Celtic Girls had a soccer coach and team manager help organise a balance for parents and players were they played soccer once a day and then in the morning or afternoon opted for a cultural experience such as the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland, Glendalough National Park in Wicklow or even the Gaelic Games Experience for all to learn and immerse themselves in Irish Culture.
Tips for Coaches: Plan something for togetherness within each day that would invite cultural interaction. It could be organizing a team dinner for local traditional food, or holding a social media (Instagram, TikTok & Facebook) “scavenger hunt” around a historic city site or different elements of the tour, similar to what Patruno FP did in Ireland on their recent visit to the Foyle Cup in Derry. Such non-soccer outings give players an opportunity to chill together and learn the host culture, which brings in the whole idea of team building and creating indelible memories.
5. Inspiration from Soccer Greats and Iconic Venues
There is hardly anything that would inspire youth more than watching the professionals perform live. Exceptions to these include popular places visited, such as enjoying a stadium tour in Camp Nou, Barcelona, or at a live match at Manchester United Old Trafford Stadium.
Recently, New York Premier Soccer Club went on their Spring Tour to England and got to experience Liverpool vs Chelsea in the English Premier and Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League, and still to this day, the coach said it was the best experience of his life.
Coach’s observation has been that after watching any club match, for instance, Barcelona or Liverpool, the motivation for that youth player goes sky high; they begin training harder and dreaming bigger. As coach Simon Baines put it, “witnessing their idols play at the highest level can inspire them to dream big and push themselves to achieve their goals”.
2026 European Youth Soccer Tournament Highlights
| Tournament | Location | Dates | Ages |
| Costa Daurada Cup | Costa Daurada, Spain | March 29 to April 02 | U10–U19 Boys, U12–U19 Girls |
| Mare Nostrum Cup | Salou, Spain | April 01-04 | U8–U19 Boys, U12—U19 Girls |
| MIC Cup | Barcelona, Spain | March 31 to April 05 | U10–U19 Boys |
| Porto International Cup | Porto, Portugal | April 01- 05 | U11–U19 Boys U15-U19 Girls |
| Gallini Cup | Pordenone, Italy | April 02-06 | U12–U16 Boys U15s Girls |
| Donosti Cup | San Sebastián, Spain | July 06-12 | U09–U19 Boys U10-U19 Girls |
| Mad Cup | Madrid, Spain | June 19 – 24 | U7–U19 Boys U12-U19 Girls |
| Gothia Cup | Gotenberg, Sweden | July 12-18 | U11–U19 Boys U11-U19 Girls |
| Surf Cup Spain | Barcelona, Spain | November 25-30 | U11–U19 Boys U12-U19 Girls |
All of these guarantee matches, excellent facilities, and an opportunity for your team to challenge itself on the global stage. These tournaments are a mix of standard level and elite level.
Why Choose DBSports Tours?
When it comes to planning an international soccer tour, choosing an experienced provider is key. DBSports Tours has been organizing tours for soccer tours since 2010, and the company was set up to give every child, regardless of age, ability, or gender the opportunity to experience what it is like to be a professional soccer player, and is now recognized as one of the best sports tour operators in both Europe and the USA.
With more than 15 years of operating experience, we customize every itinerary from the perspective of having tournament play combined with high-quality training and cultural activities offered.
Most importantly, here at DB Sports Tours we are fully licensed and bonded as a travel agent to bring you and your team peace of mind when booking Besides safe online individual payments and plans, we also offer support during planning, assuring peace of mind for coaches and parents and to top it all off we help with various fundraising ideas and initiatives.
Ready to Elevate Your Team’s Journey on a European Soccer Tour?
“A European soccer tour booking for 2026 is not just a vacation; it is an investment in your players’ future.” It promises competitive matchups, expert coaching, cultural immersion, and an inspirational lasting imprint on the development of your team that will be uncontested.
Coaches who have taken this step always come back with sharper players, more assertive ones, and those who have reclaimed a renewed fervor in the game. Parents watch their children develop, both in life and on the field, while players return home with memories that fuel their commitment.
Derek Dunn’s Utah Celtic are an example of this as they returned from Spain and became both State and National Champions after returning from their Spanish Tour in 2019.
Be part of this unique opportunity to bring your team to the global stage of youth soccer. A European tour is just the right answer whether you wish to challenge your best players, build team spirit, or simply kindle dreams for them.
Start planning today by surveying all available tournaments and tour destinations, setting goals with your team, and contacting a member of our staff at DB Sports Tours to customize the perfect itinerary. Your team is bound for its 2026 soccer adventure—and it might just be the magic key to unlocking that potential into achievement for your players.
