Clubmates Travel
Supported Sports Holidays: More Than the Game
Posted on September 11, 2026 by Matilda Negri
Reading time about 15 minutes
There is something different about travelling for sport. You are not simply visiting a city and looking at the sights. You are going somewhere because thousands of other people are excited about exactly the same thing you are, whether that is watching an AFL match, hearing V8 engines roar around Mount Panorama or exploring the history of one of Australia’s great sporting venues.
That is one of the reasons supported sports holidays can be so much fun for people with disability. Sport gives people an instant connection with the group they are travelling with and with the much wider community around them. For someone who loves footy, motorsport or another sporting interest, it can also be an opportunity to experience something they may have watched on television for years, this time surrounded by the noise, atmosphere and excitement of being there in person.
Supported Sports Trip Are About Much More Than Watching a Game
When we design a sports-centred ClubMates experience, we rarely build an itinerary around simply attending one match and coming home. Part of the fun is exploring everything that surrounds the sport, including its history, the stadiums, training venues, fan culture and the city hosting the event. This creates a fuller supported travel experience and gives passengers plenty to talk about and enjoy together.
Our 2026 Footy and City Sights experience in Melbourne, for example, included live AFL, an MCG experience, opportunities to see training venues and other Melbourne attractions. Our AFL Gather Round supported tour took passengers into Adelaide while the city was completely wrapped up in football, while our Bathurst 1000 experience focused on the entire motorsport experience, including the National Motor Racing Museum, practice and special track events, Mount Panorama and race day itself.
That style continues in 2027. Our AFL Gather Round tour, Gather Round Footy Frenzy, returns to Adelaide, while the Ultimate Footy and Sports Tour takes passengers into Melbourne’s sporting culture with live AFL, famous stadiums, sporting history, grassroots footy and sports venues. Bathurst Thunder Run, our supported Bathurst 1000 tour, then brings another group back to Mount Panorama for trial sessions, qualifying, the main event and all the noise and excitement that surrounds one of Australia’s best-known motorsport events.
Why Sporting Events Can Be Great for Social Connection
One of the most interesting things about sporting event tours is how easy sport can make conversation. Someone wearing your team’s colours does not need a long introduction. A comment about the score, a favourite player or what just happened on the field can become the start of a conversation between complete strangers.
We see this as an important part of group holidays for adults with disabilities because passengers are participating in mainstream community life rather than being separated from it. They are sitting among other supporters, lining up for food, visiting merchandise stores, cheering during a game and talking about what they have just seen. The support crew may be nearby and helping when needed, but the passenger is still a sports fan enjoying the event alongside thousands of other sports fans.
For passengers who can be shy around unfamiliar people, that shared interest can remove some of the pressure from social interaction. They do not have to think of a topic or work out what to say because the event happening around them provides it naturally. Over the course of several days, those little interactions can include chatting to another supporter, speaking to stadium staff, ordering food, choosing merchandise or celebrating a great moment with the people sitting nearby.
Big Crowds Can Be Challenging, But They Can Also Create Oppurtunity
Of course, accessible sporting events can still be busy, particularly when thousands of people are moving through stadium entrances. There can be thousands of people moving through stadium entrances, loud announcements, cheering crowds, queues, bright screens and periods where everyone seems to be heading in the same direction at once. For some people with disability, particularly those who experience sensory overload, anxiety or mobility challenges, those environments require much more preparation than simply buying a ticket.
That does not automatically mean a large sporting event is unsuitable. It means the support needs to be planned around the person. Before travelling, our team looks at each passenger’s mobility, communication, personal care, medication, sensory needs, support ratio and how they generally manage unfamiliar or crowded environments.
There is also another side to those crowds that we think is important. Major events can create some of the best examples of community participation because everybody is there for the same reason. People talk, laugh, celebrate and sometimes help each other without thinking twice about whether the person next to them has a disability.
Sport can create a very natural kind of inclusion. Our passengers are not attending a separate disability activity. They are part of the crowd, wearing the colours, following the action and sharing the experience with everybody else.
Accessibility Starts Long Before Game Day
Good accessible travel in Australia is not about arriving at a venue and hoping everything works. For supported sports tours and major sporting events, the planning starts well before the group reaches the stadium. There are transport arrangements, accommodation requirements, accessible seating, mobility considerations, meals, medication schedules, bathroom access, crowd movements and the timing of arrivals and departures to consider.
Our specialist travel support crew also need to understand what is happening around the passenger throughout the day. A person might be completely comfortable while sitting and watching a match but need additional assistance moving through a crowded concourse afterwards. Someone else may love the noise during the game but need a quieter period before heading out for dinner.
That is where specialist NDIS travel support differs from simply taking an everyday support worker away from home. Travel constantly changes the environment around the person, and major sporting events can amplify those changes. Our crew need to think ahead, adapt as situations change and know when to encourage someone to participate and when it is better to give them some space.
Accessibility also means being realistic. Not every activity, seat, venue or sporting environment is suitable for every person, so matching the experience to the passenger matters. The goal is not to promise that every possible barrier can disappear, but to do the preparation that gives each person the best opportunity to participate safely and enjoyably.
Shared Passions Can Help Friendships Grow Faster
Supported sports holidays also give passengers within our own group plenty to connect over. They might support opposing AFL teams and spend the whole week stirring each other about it, or discover that they both know far too much about Bathurst. Those shared interests can make the early stages of a group experience much easier because people already have something in common.
The friendships that develop do not need to look the same for everyone. One passenger might happily talk football statistics all afternoon, while another simply enjoys sitting beside the same person at each match. Both can be meaningful forms of connection.
This is one reason we continue offering very different categories of supported holidays for people with disabilities. Not everybody wants animals, cruises, trains, music festivals or outdoor adventures. Someone who lives and breathes sport deserves the chance to choose an experience built around that interest too.
Choice matters. When people travel because they genuinely care about what they are going to see, there is often more motivation to participate, communicate, make decisions and become involved in the experience around them.
Sport Creates Memories People Want to Talk About
Another great thing about sports travel and major sporting events is that they give passengers stories to take home. They can tell family or housemates about the winning goal, the atmosphere in the stadium, the car they saw at Bathurst, the team training session or the supporter they met in the crowd. Photos, team merchandise and souvenirs can become reminders of an experience they chose and were genuinely part of.
Those conversations matter because supported travel is not only about what happens during the days someone is away. A successful experience can give a person something they feel proud to talk about afterwards, and sometimes it becomes the motivation to try another group activity or another destination in the future.
For families and Support Coordinators looking at disability travel Australia, this is also why the itinerary alone never tells the whole story. A ticket to a football match is an activity. The confidence to navigate the venue with support, communicate choices, spend several days with a group, meet new people and participate in a huge mainstream community event is where much of the deeper value can be found.
Supporting the Person, Not Funding the Sporting Holiday
For NDIS participants, it is important to be clear that the NDIS does not pay for the sporting holiday itself. Travel expenses such as accommodation, transport, tickets, meals and leisure activities remain personal costs. ClubMates separates these travel expenses from the disability supports delivered while the person is away.
Depending on the person’s plan, goals and circumstances, agreed disability support delivered during the experience may be claimable through their NDIS funding. Our team works through the support requirements before booking so participants, families, Support Coordinators and Plan Managers can understand the costs and arrangements clearly.
The focus is always on the support being delivered and the outcomes it can help the person work towards, including greater social and community participation, confidence, communication and independence. The football match or motorsport event provides the setting. The specialist support helps the passenger participate in that setting.
Finding a Supported Sports Experience That Matches What You Love
If somebody you support spends every weekend watching footy, knows every driver on the Bathurst grid or simply loves the atmosphere of a big sporting event, there is no reason their supported travel experiences should ignore that passion. The right experience starts with what the person actually enjoys and then builds the support around making participation possible.
Clubmates supported sports tours have taken passengers into some of Australia’s biggest sporting environments, and 2027 will continue with our AFL Gather Round experience, the Ultimate Footy and Sports Tour and our Bathurst 1000 experience, Bathurst Thunder Run. Talk to our team about the passenger’s interests, support needs and what kind of sporting experience would get them genuinely excited to pack their bags.
Frequently Asked Questions About Supported Sports Holidays and Tours
Are big sporting events suitable for people with disability?
They can be, but suitability depends on the individual rather than the event alone. We look at mobility, sensory needs, communication, behaviour, personal care and the support required to safely manage crowds and unfamiliar environments. Our team can help families and participants decide whether a particular sporting experience is a good match before booking.
What kinds of supported sports tours does ClubMates offer?
AFL trips, MCG tours, Australian Open, STate of Origin, AFL Gather Round, Bathurst 1000 and motorsport experiences, stadium tours and other major sporting events in Australia.
What if someone gets overwhelmed by crowds or noise?
Busy stadiums and motorsport events can involve significant noise and large crowds, so we take those needs seriously when planning. Support might involve carefully managing arrival and departure times, allowing breaks and having crew nearby who understand the passenger’s individual needs. The aim is to help the person participate without expecting them to manage every part of a big event in exactly the same way as everybody else.
Do passengers need to know someone else before joining a sports trip?
No, many passengers join group experiences without already knowing the other travellers. A shared interest such as AFL or motorsport often gives people an easy starting point for conversation and can help the group connect quickly. Our support crew also help create a welcoming group environment without forcing social interaction.
Can someone who uses a wheelchair attend a ClubMates sporting experience?
Potentially, yes, depending on the venue, itinerary and person’s individual requirements. Our team reviews mobility needs before booking and considers accessible accommodation, transport, seating and the other practical parts of the experience. Because sporting venues and events differ, we assess each itinerary rather than making a blanket promise that every experience will suit every wheelchair user.
Can NDIS funding be used for a sports-centred supported trip?
The NDIS does not fund the football tickets, sporting event, accommodation or other personal holiday costs. It may fund disability supports delivered while the participant is away where those supports are appropriate to their plan, goals and circumstances. ClubMates separates the travel costs from the support costs so families, participants and their support teams can see clearly what they are paying for.
Ready for a sporting adventure?
Love footy, motorsport or the atmosphere of a big sporting event? Explore our supported sports holidays and find an experience built around what you enjoy, with the support you need along the way.
China is one of those countries that keeps surprising people—especially when you see the landscapes that don’t even look real. Towering rainbow mountains, glass walkways over steep cliffs, mist-covered peaks that inspired movies like Avatar—China’s natural wonders feel like stepping into another world.
And guess what? With the right support and planning, these mind-blowing places can be explored by people of all abilities. At ClubMates Travel, we believe that accessible travel should be more than just getting from A to B—it should be about awe, wonder, and saying “I can’t believe I’m actually here.”
Here are a few incredible spots in China that look out of this world—and why they might just end up on your travel wishlist.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park – The Real-Life Pandora
Ever seen floating mountains? Well, you’re about to. Zhangjiajie is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the inspiration behind the flying mountains in Avatar. Giant stone pillars rise up through misty clouds—it’s so surreal it feels like CGI.
There are cable cars and glass elevators that take you up into the peaks, and accessible walkways in many areas, making this a great option for travel for people with disabilities when paired with the right support crew.
The Rainbow Mountains – Zhangye Danxia Geopark
Imagine layers of red, orange, gold, and green rock stretched across rolling hills. These colourful formations look like someone took a paintbrush to the land. They’re even more breathtaking in person.
The Rainbow Mountains are best explored in daylight hours when the colours shine brightest. Some viewing platforms and paths are paved and can be navigated with mobility assistance. Like all our accessible holidays, having specialist travel support makes a huge difference in comfort and safety.
Yuanyang Rice Terraces – A Living Mirror
At sunrise or sunset, the rice terraces of Yuanyang reflect the sky like an enormous mirror. It’s peaceful, dreamlike, and incredibly calming—perfect for travellers who want to slow down, connect with nature, and just take it all in.
This spot is especially powerful for people who are working toward NDIS goals like mindfulness, emotional regulation, or confidence in new environments. With supported travel, it’s more than sightseeing—it becomes a sensory and emotional experience.
The Glass Bridge – Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon
If you’re feeling brave, there’s a 430-metre-long glass bridge suspended over the canyon. Yes—it’s see-through. But it’s also safe, sturdy, and absolutely unforgettable. For those not afraid of heights, this is an epic moment that will stick with you for life.
We understand that thrill-seeking looks different for everyone. At ClubMates, our support crew are trained to encourage, not push—so passengers can take part in activities at their own comfort level.
Jiuzhaigou Valley – China’s Fairytale Water World
Think turquoise lakes, sparkling waterfalls, and snow-capped peaks. Jiuzhaigou is a dreamscape—peaceful, scenic, and full of charm. It’s also one of the more accessible nature parks in China, with eco buses and walkways that help make the journey smoother.
This kind of environment is great for building confidence, promoting social participation, and feeling part of something beautiful.
Why China? Why ClubMates?
Travelling to a country as big and bold as China might feel impossible—but that’s where we come in. As one of Australia’s most experienced NDIS holiday providers, we specialise in international supported travel that opens up the world for people with disabilities. We design every itinerary to work toward common NDIS goals—things like independence, community access, resilience, and joy.
Our team handles everything: accessible hotels, ground transport, daily activities, and of course, personal support workers who are trained specifically for disability travel.
If you’ve ever dreamt of seeing the Great Wall, watching lanterns float across the sky, or standing in a place that feels like another planet—then maybe it’s time to get curious.
ClubMates makes accessible travel across the globe achievable, enjoyable, and unforgettable.
Talk to our team about our upcoming tours to China or ask about designing your own supported adventure. We’ll help you figure out how your supports work with your NDIS funding and what out-of-pocket costs you can expect.
Because no one should miss out on the wonders of the world—especially you.
