Students Can Take Their Game To Next Level With Experience Of A Lifetime Football Tours To Usa

219 Sports, which specialises in placing UK student-athletes across America, is giving young players the chance to live the ultimate soccer experiences in the United States.
Two Showcase Tours in April and May 2026 run by Merseyside entrepreneur Tom Baker offer a unique opportunity to combine elite-level sport, education and cultural immersion.
The first, a 10-day California Tour in April, will take a squad to the Golden State to experience the lifestyle and compete against colleges in San Francisco and Los Angeles. It will include the chance to go behind the scenes of world-class sporting facilities and explore the famous beaches, Hollywood history and entertainment experiences such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. With more than 70 college soccer programs, California offers real opportunities for the next generation of football stars.
The second, an eight-day tour to New York in May, will give students the chance to compete against colleges and academes across the state including Iona and Long Island universities, playing and training at the very best sporting facilities. It is an opportunity of a lifetime to meet, network and play in front of recruiting American college coaches to showcase skills and help to secure an amazing sporting future. All while experiencing the energy and culture of New York with its iconic skylines and top-notch attractions.

“These tours are about much more than football,” says Tom, Managing Director of 219 Sports. “They are about inspiring young players, broadening their horizons, and showing what’s possible through dedication, discipline, and international experience. Competing against top college teams in the US is an incredible benchmark for any young athlete.

“They follow hot on the heels of our hugely successful first Showcase Tour where we took 16 youngsters on an eight-day tour to Orlando in October 2025. One student was from Canada and the rest from the UK with players from a mix of backgrounds. Two were former Bolton Academy Players, there was a former Cardiff City Academy player and five players who currently play for the Carlisle United Community Sports College.”

“Beyond the pitch, players gain valuable insight into the US college soccer lifestyle, including exposure to training schedules, campus facilities and the balance between sport and academics. In addition to football development, the tours offer students the opportunity to experience American culture, visit iconic locations, and build lasting friendships with teammates and opponents from around the world -- giving an insight into what life could be like on a sports scholarship, studying and playing full-time sport at a university in America.” Find our more at: www.219sports.co.uk

About 219 Sports
Tom Baker, who was born in Liverpool and whose family still live in the City Region, founded 219 Sports in 2020 to change the way talented UK athletes earn scholarships in the United States. He wanted to offer a service that puts UK students first, not just an agency where they become a numbers game.

After four years of studying and playing soccer at the University of Charleston in West Virginia, Tom saw the size and scale of sporting environments in the US and how life-changing the opportunity can be. However, he also knew from his own personal experience that it lacked the vital ongoing support. Tom has picked out the good bits that other firms offer and added knowledge from his own experience to ensure that 219 Sports provides an unbeatable service.

So far, it has placed more than 200 student athletes across 30 plus American states, securing more than $5million worth of funding.

Picture Notes:
1. Tom Baker taking a training session in the USA

For more information on 219 Sports go to:
www.219sports.co.uk

Tom Baker — tom.baker@219sports.co.uk

Media Contact: Paul Smith — paul@paulsmithassociates,co.uk

PAUL SMITH ASSOCIATES
20th February 2026