World Nomads offers essential travel tips for sports fans.
Photo © Getty Images / alphaspirit
- Looking forward to major sporting events of 2023
- World Nomads essential travel tips for sports fans
- Which sports pose the greatest and least risks for participants
Media Release: London, UK - The World Cup has drawn to a close, but 2023 has plenty of major sporting events over the horizon that sports fans might consider next.
World Nomads, the Australian-founded, global travel insurance company, has looked at the following events and provided top tips and a risk ranking for watching or adopting a new sport. While our policies won't cover professional athletes travelling to compete, we know sports fans tend to be practitioners of the sports they watch, so we've provided some considerations for those who might take up their favorite sport as a hobby.
Designed for the adventure-minded traveller, World Nomads offers cover for more than 200 sports, activities and experiences around the world.
Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia, 16-29 January 2023
The first of the tennis Grand Slam tournaments of the calendar year, the Australian Open is held in Melbourne, Victoria. Attracting 350,000 spectators over 14 days of competition, this popular, world-class event is a favourite with tennis enthusiasts. The city is largely unaffected by extreme weather events, but temperatures can rise in summer. World Nomads cautions spectators to guard against sunburn and heat stroke.
New tennis players need to be wary of tennis elbow, calf tears and shoulder injuries.
World Nomads rates tennis playing as low risk
X Games, Aspen, Colorado, USA 27-29 January 2023
Nearly 100 of the world’s top winter athletes will compete in the biggest snow sport event of the year at the X Games. The event showcases athletes competing in 14 disciplines including Men’s and Women’s Ski and Snowboard SuperPipe, Slopestyle, Big Air and Knuckle Huck.
Winter sports fans tend to be practitioners of the sports they watch, too, and the state of Colorado is the land of Champagne powder and legendary ski resorts – 28 in all - World Nomads provides travel insurance for all kinds of winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding; cross country; helicopter/cat skiing; snowblading skiing; snowboarding (terrain park); sledding; snow biking; and snowmobiling.
Skiers and snowboarders need to respect the mountain environment, check their equipment and wear a helmet and follow the Rules of the Slopes. You must follow the International Ski Federation code or the resort regulations, and we recommend that you do not venture into back country areas without taking local advice and appropriate rescue equipment. Mountain climates can change very quickly.
Knee ligament ruptures or sprains, shoulder sprains, fractures or sprains, and wrist and thumb injuries are among the most common injuries for skiers and snowboarders. And American medical bills can be amongst the most expensive in the world, so comprehensive travel insurance is essential.
World Nomads rates snow-sports as high risk. Coverage varies by country of residence and terms and conditions apply. Read your policy for full details.
World Championships, Handball, Poland and Sweden, 12-29 January 2023
Handball is a game played across five continents, by more than 19 million people of all ages, in 180 countries. Combining speed, strength, stamina, agility, technical precision, skill and teamwork, handball is a great way to boost fitness and agility as it is a fast-flowing game. The Men’s World Championships tournament will take place in nine cities - four in Poland and five in Sweden.
Despite sharing a small border with Ukraine, the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, UK) states most trips to Poland are trouble-free. The championships will be held in Poland’s major cities, where life goes on as normal. Sweden is similarly trouble-free, with government advice focusing on the fact that Swedish society is increasingly cashless.
World Nomads rates Handball as low risk
World Aquatics Championships, Fukuoka, Japan 14-30 July 2023
This event brings together six disciplines: swimming, open water swimming, water polo, synchronized swimming, diving, and high diving.
Fukuoka is known for its ancient temples, beaches and modern shopping malls – and epitomises the best of Japan. Aquatic fans might even like to see a Sumo wrestling match. Japan sits on the Pacific rim and as such, there are risks of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. World Nomads provides travel insurance for 31 water activities from banana boat rides to black water rafting, high diving, sailing, scuba diving up to 50 meters and shark cage diving to 30 metres.
World Nomads rates swimming activities from low to high risk
Rugby World Cup, France, September and October 2023
Two hundred years after the sport’s creation by William Webb Ellis, the Rugby World Cup’s opening match and final will take place at the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, north of Paris. Around 17 million British nationals visit France every year. Most visits are trouble-free although petty crime, such as pickpocketing, can be an issue in some part of the major cities. There is a general threat of terrorism.
Rugby is regarded as a national sport in countries such as England and France. Players are prone to overuse injuries, traumatic injuries and, controversially, concussion and head injuries. After injury, players need to be cleared to play by a qualified medical professional. Rugby union and league are sports that are covered by World Nomads, but as an optional extra.
World Nomads rates rugby as medium risk
FIFA Women’s World Cup, Australia and New Zealand, July and August 2023
The Women’s World Cup is growing in popularity. It is held every four years, a year after the men's competition. The 9th World Cup will be larger than previous tournaments, with the number of teams on the group stage expanding from 24 to 32 teams.
This is the first FIFA Women's World Cup to be co-hosted and the first to be held in the Southern Hemisphere. In Australia, matches will be held across five host cities; four host cities in New Zealand will see group stages being played.
World Nomads rates football as low risk
Ryder Cup, Rome, Italy, 29 September to 1 October 2023
The Ryder Cup is an international men's golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States, played every two years.
The end of September and the start of October is a perfect time to visit Rome and its beautiful ancient and renaissance sites. Post-COVID-19 tourism numbers have risen sharply, along with petty crime like pickpocketing.
Golf is a popular sport and is a great way to combine moderate exercise and competition. Common injuries to watch out for are back, wrist, knee and elbow pain.
World Nomads rates golf as low risk
The ICC, Cricket World Cup, India, October and November 2023
The world's fourth-largest sporting event will be played in front of the world's most passionate cricket fans. It’s the first time the competition has been held entirely in India, and the length of the tournament will give visitors plenty of time to visit the country’s many treasures. The Indian government has re-introduced e-visas for British citizens. Visitors are advised that severe air pollution can be a hazard to health. Most visits to India are trouble-free and for many it is a bucket list destination.
With its peaceful rhythms and steady pace, cricket has a reputation for being a laid-back sport that is relaxing to watch. Fervent fans may not entirely agree!
World Nomads rates cricket as low risk
Travel tips for sports fans
Jonathan Frankham, General Manager, UK and Europe, World Nomads, advised: “All fans need to remember:
- Even if you are travelling as a group, travel insurance may not be included.
- Check you have valid insurance for the destination you are travelling to, the length of the trip, and any activity you are doing. Remember that watching high diving compared to actually doing high diving are very different activities – and will require different levels of insurance cover.
- Check the local customs and regulations for each country and destination you are travelling to. The FCDO is a reliable source of information and facts you need to know before you go.
- Check your passport validity for the country you are going to. Some countries require up to six months validity, even if you are just going for two weeks.
- Check visa requirements.
- Research local customs and regulations so you know how to stay safe and out of trouble. It’s important to remember that events that occur from breaking local laws may not be covered.
- Know your rights with regards to accommodation and flights, so you know who to contact in case of delays or changes.
- If travelling mid to long haul, check out health and vaccine requirements. Some parts of the world still require proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
- Remember, alcohol consumption could impact your ability to claim.”
Media Contact:
Graham Lynch
Email: graham.lynch@worldnomads.com
Phone: +353 86 831 784
About World Nomads
World Nomads is a fast-growing, global travel insurance company. We provide inspirational stories, safety tips and specialised travel insurance for adventurous and independent travellers. Our online travel insurance offers cover to travellers from more than 100 countries and allows you to buy and claim online, 24/7, even while already traveling.
Our travel insurance focuses on what is important to travellers: cover for emergency medical and evacuation costs, baggage, trip cancellation, trip delay and trip interruption costs. We also offer cover for more than 200 adventure sports and activities, plus tech and gear. Our policies are underwritten by a suite of specialist travel insurers that provide 24/7 emergency assistance, customer service and claims support, making us a top choice for many of the world's leading adventure, independent and youth travel brands.
World Nomads is a part of the nib Group which provides health and medical insurance to more than 1.5 million Australian and New Zealand residents. We also provide health insurance to more than 170,000 international students and workers in Australia and are Australia’s third-largest travel insurer and global distributor of travel insurance through our business nib Travel.