Turkey by Eric Cantona

Istanbul is where East meets West, the Bosporus separating continents, cultures and football rivalries. Istanbul screams timeless history from every narrow street. The city has witnessed civilizations evolve and wither in the quicksand of time over the last 2000 years, but ever since English traders introduced the game of football to harbour workers in the late 19th Century, one thing remains constant: Istanbul’s love of football.

Trip highlights

Experience the rivalries close up with a local Istanbul derby match

Nobody displays their local rivalries as passionately as Istanbul residents! Home to five top-flight teams and three iconic legends of the game – Galatasary, Beskitas,and Fenerbahce – a match in Istanbul should be a ‘must experience’ in all football fans’ lifetimes.

Stadiums stadiums stadiums

With so many top flight clubs in one city you are spoiled for choice! We head to the big three’s stadiums for museum and stadium tours, experienceing teh differnet Istanbul districts as we go.

The most intense rivalries in world football

Hear about how one game in 1934 became the catalyst for the “Eternal Rivalry” betwen Galatasaray and Fenerbahce and how thos erivalries continue and influence the cities communities with our Istanbul football masterclass.

Itinerary

DAY 1 - WARM UP: Meet your Trip Captain and new fan friends

We Kick Off the evening in one of Istanbul’s trendiest rooftop bars, meeting our Istanbul Football mastsrclass.

We’ll grab some food at Beşiktaş Kazan, a favourite of Beşiktaş players and fans alike and just a few hundred metres from their stadium.
DAY 2 - EXPERIENCE THE PASSION: Join us on an exclusive tour of Galatasary’s magnificent Nef Stadium. Formerly known as the Türk Telekom Arena, the unofficial but more common name is the “Galatasaray Stadium of Hell”. You’ll get deeper into Galatasary’s story, see the famous stands, and shop and Galatasary museum.

Home to Fenerbahçe, the Yellow Canaries, since 1908, a visit to the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium and museum highlights the history of intense rivalries between the clubs.

Meet the fans who have fought runing battles with each others for decades, understand why the rivalries are so intense and how the results have shaped the city over the years as we head to a fan hangout and learn the chants and songs that are needed to blend into the crowd at tomorrow’s match.
DAY 3 - THE BIG MATCH: Enjoy a lazy start to the morning before we head off to Beşiktaş stadium and museum tour, before we congregate with the fans for the pre-match build up.

Expect noise and an intense passion as the pre-match warm up heats up to boiling point just before kick off.

Post match we’ll mix it with the fans as they disperse to various bars and eateries before heading to Nevizade Street in Taksim to experienc eth ebest of Istanbul’s nighlife.
DAY 4 - FULL TIME: Debrief with some post-match analysis over breakfast with new friends.

Time to head home – which match will we see you at next?

Download Itinerary

Venue

Your Looking FC accommodations are hand-selected for each and every game from a portfolio of rigorously-vetted hotels. Our Trip Design team prioritizes location, proximity to activities, comfort, amenities, and overall design to ensure your stay is a goal, every time. Think urban cool, easygoing, and authentic – the perfect spot to rest and relax after a home team victory! In Istanbul, we use hotels such as The Haze Karaköy or the Nabu Hotel Karaköy, or similar.

What's Included

GAME SEATS: The superfan experience in all its passion and glory
MASTERCLASS: Deep dive into local football culture, led by a local personality
ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE: An inside look at the legendary stadiums of one of football's greatest cities
CITY WALKING TOUR: Get to know the home team's stomping grounds with a football-themed city walking tour
HUMAN-FIRST: You'll learn the songs and chants to yell with the fans in the home team's stadium
TRIP CAPTAIN: A Trip Captain is available 24/7 to host and enhance your experience. Trip Captains are local experts and fans who are there to make sure you're having the trip of a lifetime!
FOOD & DRINKS : Breakfast is included every morning, along with two curated group dinners, and one lunch. Plus, we'll celebrate with a nightly round of drinks on Eric!

Reasons to Book

01 | CURATED BY CANTONA

All trips are vetted by the King, Eric Cantona himself, to maximize the most important aspect – passion.

02 | FOOTBALL TRAVEL EXPERTS

Our exceptional experiences are led by local football fanatics who know the heart and the soul of their club inside and out.

03 | AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES

We provide the most authentic and action packed football fan experiences imaginable

04 | COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION

We connect you to a community of passionate football fans who are the beating heart of the football experience

Testimonials

A football fanatics dream trip

I went with Looking FC to Buenos Aires for the Superclassico, and it was everything and more.

Our trip captain Dani & everyone at Looking (Shout out to Adam) were super helpful and planned everything brilliantly. By having a local as the trip captain, it felt like we got a real look at the authentic football culture as opposed to a more corporate feel which was great.

This was the best futbol experience of my life!

Looking FC had a lot of surprises for us every day. Everyone in their staff was great.

I highly recommend this trip to anyone that breathes futobol.

Use Looking FC

Looking FC were outstanding. It was so well organised and run by brilliant people.
Our Buenos Aires guide, Dani, was amazing and knew the best places to go, and what to expect from the game.
Adam was always on had for any questions or issues, and sorted them out quickly.
If you’re looking for a great football trip, I’d definitely recommend Looking FC.

FAQs

WHAT AIRPORT/TRAIN STATION SHOULD I ARRIVE INTO?: Airport: Istanbul (IST)
Train Station: Sirkeci railway station (Istanbul Train Station)
WHAT’S THE FOOD LIKE?: From street food stalls to sit-down restaurants with a view, there is no shortage of options for every palate and budget. You’ll know about Istanbul’s famous kebabs, but other classic dishes include lahmacun, simit, meze and an array of phyllo-based desserts like baklava need to be experienced. Turkish breakfast is an institution in its own right, and should never be passed over.
DO I NEED A VISA TO TRAVEL TO THIS CITY?: We strongly advise that you review official travel requirements for your country of departure and arrival before confirming any booking, as requirements for travel visas do vary based on your nationality and final destination.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?: Bring your phone, lucky club scarf, strong stadium singing voice, and a profound desire to get under the skin of one of the most historically rich and diverse cities football has to offer.
HOW MUCH FREE TIME WILL I HAVE?: We’ve designed our trips to maximize your time in the city and our days are pretty action packed. All activities are optional, however, and you are welcome to dip in and out of the experiences as you wish. We’ve planned the itineraries to ensure you have some downtime on most afternoons.
ARE THERE ANY CASUAL 5-A-SIDE GAMES IN TOWN I COULD PARTICIPATE IN?: Casual games are played most nights of the week. If you would like to join as a ‘ringer’ please let your Trip Captain know.