Whether you are travelling as a fan or taking a leisure trip, the one thing that forces you to reconsider a destination is the cultural barrier. A sport; however, is beyond this hurdle, especially football (or soccer as it’s known in US) as it is one of the most popular sports in world. It’s support can be seen by how the game’s popularity has grown in the UK, and in particular England; the country has more than 40,000 association football clubs, which interestingly is more than in any other country.

The following tips are to help you at every stage from booking your tickets to having fun at the ground, if you wish to be a part of a historic tradition and join the locals seeing a match. Around a million tourists attend the football matches here every year so getting a ticket in advance is a safe bet to consider when you’re planning to go this vacation.

1. Time the Trip

While taking the legendary tours of museums and other exhibitions of the Mecca cities of Manchester United or Arsenal fans is a big deal, this visit is supposed to be more than that. You’d be rooting for a local favorite, which is why knowing their schedule and the where exactly the match is going to be (e.g. Wembley, Emirates, White Hart Lane, Stamford Bridge, or Craven College stadium) so you can be in the UK during the time to catch a match at these stadiums.

2. Choose the Tickets

The club’s popularity and the size of the stadiums are two factors to determine the availability of tickets. You want to get your ticket from a secured site such as LiveFootballTickets.com that has been serving successfully since 2004. Plus, while you’re booking, make sure your seats are not in the opposing team’s section. Those in the middle of the stands are ideal seats and therefore, the most difficult to book. But if you’d rather chant and sing along with home fans if you’re in Tottenham or Liverpool, for instance, then you may want to look for seats available by the end-on to the pitch. The minute you have your game tickets, catch your flight or book the train to arrive in time.

3. Savor the Experience

The first thing is that you should be familiar with the basic rules of the English football prior to the match. You don’t want to be looking around clueless as to how others are blaming the ref for making the wrong call. Secondly, planning your stay and knowing your route to the respective stadium is worthwhile too; some stadiums necessitate travelling via multiple modes including buses and walking.

Want to be all set for the match like other supporters? Hit a nearby pub. Avoid being discourteous by bringing in forbidden stuff like bottles, strollers, musical instruments, flares, or banners. If you need to show your support, wear the club’s shirt or don a scarf. Drinking within sight of the field is forbidden as well so go to the concession area if you need to drink or buy food because there will be no vendors delivering any to your seat either. Finally, forget the cheerleaders or a long break for the loo; get there early and watch them warm up and in action for the complete 90 minutes.