Pre-Season Training Camps for Football & Rugby: How to Plan One (2027)

A pre-season camp sets the tone for the whole campaign. For football and rugby teams alike, a focused block of training in the right environment builds fitness, sharpens tactics, tests the squad in friendlies and brings the group together before the season starts. But a great camp takes real planning: the right destination and climate, quality pitches and recovery facilities, well-matched friendly opponents and safe, comfortable logistics. This guide answers the questions coaches, directors and club organisers actually ask when planning a pre-season camp for football or rugby, and shows how a specialist operator runs it all.

Olimpia Tour designs and manages pre-season training camps for football and rugby teams — clubs, academies and schools — and we operate worldwide. We handle destinations, facilities, friendlies, travel and duty of care so your staff can focus on the training block. Every camp is built around your team, so costs are always on request.

Key Takeaways

• •A pre-season camp is a training block first — the itinerary should serve the fitness and tactical plan, not the other way round.
• •Climate and facilities are the two biggest destination factors: quality pitches, gym, recovery and the right conditions to train.
• •Friendlies should be matched to your level so they are a useful test rather than a mismatch — this matters even more in rugby.
• •Duty of care — ISO 31030 risk planning, medical cover, insurance, supervision and 24/7 support — applies to every camp.
• •Olimpia Tour manages the whole camp end to end, worldwide, so staff get one accountable team and costs on request.

What is a pre-season camp and what does it include?

A pre-season camp is a concentrated block of training away from your usual base, designed to build the foundations for the season ahead. A typical camp includes multiple training sessions a day, gym and fitness work, recovery and treatment, appropriate nutrition, and one or two friendly matches against local opposition. The best camps are built around the coaching staff's plan, with facilities, schedule and travel all arranged to support the training rather than get in the way.

Choosing the right destination

The two biggest factors in choosing a pre-season destination are climate and facilities. Warm-weather training in Europe, Asia or the Middle East is popular because it offers reliable conditions and top-quality pitches and recovery facilities in one place. Travel load and time zone matter too — for many teams a shorter trip to a superb facility beats a long-haul journey. A specialist operator will recommend destinations that fit your goals, budget and travel window.

Facilities and friendlies

The value of a camp is in the quality of the facilities and the friendlies. Facilities should include quality pitches, gym access, recovery and treatment space and appropriate nutrition. Friendlies should be matched to your level and standard so they are a genuine, useful test — and in rugby, correct matching is a safety issue as well. A good operator secures the training base, sources and vets friendly opponents, and builds a schedule with the right balance of work, games and recovery.

Duty of care and player welfare

Whether your group is a professional squad, an academy or a school team, duty of care is planned from the start. That means a documented risk assessment against the ISO 31030:2021 travel-risk standard, appropriate insurance and medical cover, sensible supervision ratios for youth groups, vetted accommodation and transport, and a coordinator on the ground contactable around the clock. You can read more in our duty of care and risk management guide.

How much does a pre-season camp cost?

There is no fixed price for a pre-season camp — the destination, length, group size, standard of facilities and accommodation, number of friendlies and travel all move the number. The right approach is a clear, itemised proposal with no hidden extras, built around your team and budget. We prepare that proposal for every camp, which is why costs are always on request.

How Olimpia Tour supports pre-season camps

We manage the entire camp as one operation: training goals, destination advice, facilities, friendlies, flights, transfers, accommodation near the training base, meals, medical cover, duty of care and a day-by-day schedule. Because we work worldwide, we can take your football or rugby team to Europe, Asia, the Middle East or beyond — wherever fits your objectives — with a single point of contact.

Every camp is bespoke, so costs are on request. Tell us your team, sport and goals on our build-your-tour page, message us on WhatsApp or get in touch. You can also explore our pre-season camps for more.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a pre-season training camp?

A pre-season camp is a concentrated block of training away from your usual base, designed to build fitness, sharpen tactics and bring the squad together before the season. A typical camp includes multiple sessions a day, gym and recovery work, nutrition and one or two friendly matches against local opposition.

What are the best destinations for a pre-season camp?

The two biggest factors are climate and facilities. Warm-weather Europe, Asia and the Middle East are popular because they offer reliable conditions, top-quality pitches and recovery facilities in one place. We recommend destinations that fit your goals, budget and travel window.

Can you arrange friendly matches during the camp?

Yes. We source and vet friendly opponents matched to your level and standard so the games are a useful test rather than a mismatch — which matters even more in rugby, where correct matching is a safety issue.

Are pre-season camps only for professional teams?

No. We design pre-season camps for clubs, academies and school teams across both football and rugby. For youth groups we add appropriate supervision ratios, vetted accommodation and transport and age-appropriate scheduling.

How far in advance should we plan a pre-season camp?

The earlier the better — ideally several months ahead — to secure the best training facilities, friendly opponents, flights and accommodation, and to fit the camp around your pre-season calendar.

How much does a pre-season camp cost?

Every camp is bespoke — destination, length, facilities, group size and number of friendlies all affect the price — so costs are on request. Tell us about your team on our build-your-tour page and we'll prepare a clear, itemised proposal.