Liverpool FC Football Camps UK Airport Transfer Information & Camp Frequently Asked Questions

For those arriving from overseas or even from the UK, the camp provides a negotiated transfer service from London Heathrow (LHR) Airport  to Repton School and Radley College. All transfers need to be pre-arranged. Flight arrivals on Mondays between 09:00 AM – 16:00 PM (4:00 PM) on the first day of camp and flight departures on Sundays between 11:00 AM – 18:00 PM (6:00 PM) on the last day of camp.

Please Contact Us for flights outside of the above time frames. Please also note that the camp cannot accommodate out-of-hours transfers where players arrive at the camp after 11:00pm or need to leave the camp before 7:00am. Please see the Prices Page for more information.

We recommend morning arrivals (afternoon activities planned, see schedule on Camp Details Page) and late morning / mid-day departures (no activities planned during the departure day).

Participants must arrive on the first date of the camp and leave on the last date of the camp as mentioned on your registration.

Airport transfers booked within 21 days of the start of the camp are non-refundable.

The camp has a dedicated team of staff located at selected airports on arrival and departure days. If you book an arrival airport transfer your child will be met by a member of camp staff as they walk through to the arrivals public hall. Camp staff will be holding a Nike Camps sign in a prominent position at the front of the arrivals public area and your child will be escorted from this point all the way from the airport to the camp venue. Depending on your child’s flight time, there may be a short wait at the airport for other players to arrive during which time full supervision is given.

On the departure day, camp staff will help your child to the check-in at the airport. Camp staff may also make arrangements to transfer your child to the airline’s unaccompanied minor service if you mention this during registration.

Unaccompanied Minor Service

The camp recommends using Unaccompanied Minor (UM, check Airlines Services for UM) service if your child is under 14 years old or is an inexperienced traveler. This service provides an airline staff member to supervise and escort your child during their flight and in the parts of the airport that are not accessible to camp staff. Most airlines offer this service and some require you to use this service for children under a certain age so please check with the airline and pay applicable fees for both your inbound and outbound journey. If you have booked this service you must notify us during registration.

Check local requirements for children travelling without their parents or legal guardian – each country has specific requirements and may require written consent and/or identity documents.

Please note that UK Border Control (Immigration) does not allow children to wait alone without supervision.

UK Border Control may stop any child travelling alone and will only release them into the care of an adult. Therefore, students cannot wait by themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Are there any requirements in order to be able to attend Liverpool FC Football Camps UK?

A: Yes, the soccer camp sessions are not suitable for basic level English speakers and the soccer campers need to be able to speak at least an intermediate level of English. Also, the soccer camp sessions are not suitable for complete beginners as the soccer camps are intensive.

Q: What age group can attend Liverpool FC Football Camps UK?

A: Liverpool FC Football Camps UK is open to boys from 9 – 17 years old, goalkeeper boys from 12 – 17 years old, and girls from 12 – 17 years old. Please note that campers must be within the relevant age restrictions to register for the camp and that campers whose age is outside of the above age limits cannot register for the camp. Camp participants need to be the relevant age throughout the duration of the course in order to register.

Q: My child is just outside the relevant age for a particular course. What can I do?

A: Unfortunately your child has to be of the relevant age throughout the duration of the course.

Q: Can girls join the camp?

A: Yes, there are girls sessions available. Please see the Dates Page for more information.

Q: What do I need to bring with me to camp?

A: You can find a list of what we recommend children bring with them HERE (PDF).

Q: Should my child bring new soccer boots to camp?

A: New soccer boots and sports shoes of any kind should be “worn in” before arriving at the camp. This means players who purchase new footwear should wear them for at least one training session before camp to avoid blisters and to ensure they are comfortable, ideally more. New shoes can cause blisters, especially on hard summer ground and when participating in a lot of training. The camp can treat blisters along with other minor injuries but for a comfortable training experience it is better to try and avoid them.

Q: What are the check-in and check-out times for the Residential Camp?

A: Residential Camp self check-in is on Monday morning, unless using the airport transfer service (in which case arrival will depend on your flight time). Residential Camp self check-out is on Sunday mornings before 12:30pm unless using the airport transfer service.

Q: How many hours of training per week?

A: Soccer Only Residential Camp offers up to 24 hours per week of soccer training and up to 8 hours of soccer workshops. Soccer and English as Second Language Residential Camp offers up to 24 hours per week of soccer training and up to 13 hours per week of English language lessons. More information can be found on the Camp Location page.

Q: How can I get a trial with the Academy?

A: Liverpool Football Club has a scouting network to identify talented youngsters. Players need to make an impression for their local club/team. You cannot apply for a trial through Liverpool FC Football Camps UK.

Q: What are the chances of meeting a player?

A: Liverpool first team players will not be attending Liverpool FC Football Camps UK.

Q: My child is attending on his own; will he be ok?

A: Yes, the majority of players attend without friends and family. Individuals will be placed in groups with players near the same age who are also on their own. The first session of every course is designed to help all individual players integrate to form a team and also make new friends.

Q: What to expect as far as camp culture based on the country of the camp?

A: Each camp provides a sports experience as well as a cultural experience. Many of the participants will experience something different from home as they will be in a foreign country with a different way of living. For most of the camps, participants will experience the local cuisine, special times for meals (early meals in northern Europe, late meals in southern Europe) as per the culture of the country, showers after training sessions, typical entertainment at the camp as per the country’s summer camp culture, early or late bedtimes based on the country’s living habits and more. If you feel that your child will have difficulties to adapt to a new way of living, then we recommend that you wait until your child is of an age where they will be ready to do so.

Q: Where are the soccer camps based?

A: The soccer camps are based at Repton School located near the city of Derby in England and Radley College near the city of Oxford, west of London, England. More information can be found on the Camp Location page.

Q: Are meals provided?

A: Residential camps include three meals per day and an evening snack with a choice of menu catering for different dietary needs. Most diets can be catered for by prior arrangement if the camp is notified at least two weeks ahead of time. The camp provides nutritious meals and a variety of options for players at mealtimes including vegetarian options. Camp staff checks that players are eating and drinking enough, and they advise them to eat a variety at mealtimes. Water is available at all sports sessions and coaches encourage water breaks. The camp also educates players on the importance of nutrition and hydration throughout the camp. More information can be found on the Camp Location page.

Q: What does full accommodation include?

A: Residential campers will stay in single, twin, triple, and dormitory bedrooms with shared bathrooms at Repton School, and single rooms with shared bathrooms at Radley College, on the same site as the sporting and teaching facilities. Accommodation includes 3 meals per day with an evening snack, bedding, and use of site facilities. More information can be found on the Camp Location page.

Q: How much pocket money will they need whilst on the camp?

A: There is no set amount of spending money required for the camp but we are often asked for guidance on this. All meals are included but there may be opportunities to buy additional snacks, souvenirs and treats on excursions. Players tend to bring £50 – £100/week or a credit/debit card. The camp staff keep most of players’ cash safe in the camp bank but if there is an opportunity to buy snacks on site they will be able to retain some small change for this. We do ensure that they make sensible food choices while also recognizing that they are ‘on holiday’ and doing lots of exercise so a few treats should be enjoyed.

Please note that unfortunately, the camp does NOT have the facilities to provide additional spending money to players in exchange for card payments made by parents so please ensure you supply your child with sufficient funds before the start of the camp, details will be provided to you in the final camp information email a few weeks before your camp starts.

Q: Can I visit my child during the camp?

A: Parents can visit their child at the camp sites one day during the week to watch a soccer training session. Day/Hours to visit will be confirmed by email a few weeks before your camp starting date.

Q: Can I stay on site with my child?

A: There is no accommodation for parents on site. Following is a list of local accommodations: Repton List. You can also look into AirBnB nearby.

Q: Are there specific Goalkeeping courses?

A: There are goalkeeper camp sessions available for goalkeepers from 12 – 17 years old. Please see the Dates Page for session availability.

Q: Does the child need a ‘Child Tourist/Visitor Visa’ to attend the soccer camp?

A: IMPORTANT:  Please note, you are solely responsible for obtaining all needed travel documents including but not limited to a valid passport and any appropriate tourist travel visas for the person attending the soccer camp, the Participant.  You must contact the appropriate consulate office for entry requirements and visa requirements for the country where the selected camp is located.  Once you have registered your child with us, and have paid for the camp in full, upon your written request, we will be pleased to provide a letter confirming enrolment for the specific Participant. This letter may be required by certain consulates for the ‘Child Tourist/Visitor Visa’.  (NOTE: We can only issue the letter for the Participant not for any other person.)  Please be advised that consulate’s visa application processes can take many months.  The more you wait, the more chances you have to be denied the required ‘Child Tourist/Visitor Visa’ for your child and certain camps will not issue a refund.  Please check the terms for the camp.

Q: Do I need insurance?

A: Insurance is included in your camp: INSURANCE  if you want additional medical or other additional coverage, we recommend you purchase an additional insurance in this case (It is your responsibility to ensure that you are satisfied with the extent of cover this provides and that the Participant has adequate travel and medical insurance to cover the costs of any medical treatment that may be required). For those interested in purchasing insurance through WorldNomads.com, please see the Insurance Page for more information but you can also make your own arrangements to find insurance on your own.

Q: Will I be in the same room as my friend?

A: Should you wish to share with a friend or relative please indicate this when you make your booking online. The camp is organized according to age groups to ensure that each player has a safe and fun experience during their stay. Therefore when selecting rooms for the campers, the camp follows a two-year age rule which means that each player will be sharing with others of a similar age. You can request to share a room with another player at camp as long as both players are within two years of each other and are both the same gender but please note that the camp cannot guarantee any room share requests. You can make this request during online registration. The camp organizes boarding houses by age groups to ensure each player is surrounded by their peers. Where rooms are shared and no room-share has been requested, the camp will allocate players to rooms with others of a similar age. They may or may not be sharing with someone who speaks their native language. If you would like your child to share with someone who doesn’t speak their native language (for extra English practice!) you can also request this during online registration. Please visit the Camp Location page for more information.

Q: How many weeks can my child attend for?

A: We advise you to only send your child for a maximum of two consecutive weeks. This is due to the busy training schedule throughout the week and after two weeks your child may be extremely tired. For those staying two consecutive weeks, on the weekend there are excursions to local places of interest and always Liverpool Football Club’s home stadium, Anfield Stadium.

Q: Questions regarding communication with home?

A: Recognizing signs of homesickness and offering support is part of the camp staff’s training. Homesickness is only natural for many children in the first couple of days and camp staff will provide all the care and support needed to help any child experiencing homesickness to settle in. Getting comfortable with life on camp and involved in the camp activities are the best remedies for homesickness, which usually subsides within a few days. Should your child experience homesickness, the camp encourages you to give them some space to adapt to their new environment as they find that too much contact with parents in the first few days can deepen homesickness and prevent players from making the most of their camp experience. Camp staff are always on hand to talk to you and update you on how everything is going and rest assured that the camp will contact you immediately if there are any issues. Camp staff are also trained to identify any emotional changes or abnormalities in a players’ behavior and will ensure they are fully supported to overcome any issues and make the best of their time at the camp.

Q: When is the closing date for applications?

A: Applications are open until there are no slots left. Slots are limited and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Once a session is filled, then it is closed for sale.

Q: When can I phone my child?

A: Campers are not allowed to use their mobile phones during soccer training or any activities. Your child will let you know the best time for you to contact him after his camp session has started. Contact details for the camp will be provided to you a few weeks before camp starts in the welcome email packet.

Q: What are the Residences’ telephone numbers and website?

A: Camp telephone numbers will be provided in your welcome email packet a few weeks before the start of camp for registered campers.

Q: Will I be able to phone my child on his mobile phone?

A: Mobile phones are not allowed to be used during soccer training or any of the activities. Mobile phones are great for keeping in touch with friends and family back home but they can also prohibit players from socializing, getting immersed in camp life, focusing on camp activities, and getting some much-needed rest and recovery. For this reason, and for safe-keeping, the camp operates a phone and valuables ‘bank’ system on every camp. Camp staff collect players’ valuables and keep them safe, returning them to players for a set period of time each evening to call home and catch up on messages. These valuables are returned before bed. This system only works if everyone is involved and if the camp has parents’ support, and the camp therefore appreciates parent and guardian’s support in this system and hope you will help the camp by explaining the value of this to your child before their arrival. In addition, because players won’t have their phones at night, some players might want to bring a watch or alarm clock with them. However, camp staff will ensure they’re up every day in time for breakfast! Having watched the evolution of technology over the past several years of running summer camps, the camp feels that this is the best system to encourage a social camp atmosphere, human interaction and the building of new friendships with other players from around the world.

Q: Is a laundry service available?

A: There is a free laundry service available but the camp asks one week residential campers to bring enough clothing with them to last the duration of their camp as the laundry will usually be done during the week for residential campers staying two consecutive weeks.

Q: My child has to follow a specific diet for health reasons. Is it possible?

A: If your child has any special dietary requirements and you did not mention it when you registered online, please inform us as soon as possible. Most diets can be catered for by prior arrangement.

Q: Questions regarding injury prevention?

A: The soccer coaches are trained to deliver sessions in a way that minimizes the risk of injury. A sports therapist will also be available during soccer coaching sessions to assess and treat minor injuries. Any serious injuries will be dealt with by a medical professional and parents will be informed of any injury, particularly if it prevents their child from participating in soccer training. Players requiring medical attention will be accompanied to the doctor’s surgery or nearest hospital (as appropriate) by a member of the camp’s welfare staff. If your child has any injuries prior to starting the camp, but these injuries do not prevent them from participating, please inform us during online registration with as much detail as possible to ensure that the camp staff are prepared to monitor them. It’s also helpful to speak to the camp staff about any pre-existing injuries that your child has when they arrive at the camp. The camp takes all injuries seriously. Some players may want to continue playing with an injury even if it’s not in their best interests. The camp’s sports therapist will make the final judgement on this with the long-term fitness and wellbeing of the player their priority.

Q: My child takes prescription medication – should I inform you about this (Will there be any medical or pastoral support on site)?

A: Yes, please be sure to indicate in the online application form any medication that your son is taking or if he is following a treatment. We will update the medical staff at the disposal of the camp who will follow your son. It is important that we receive accurate information about any pre-existing medical conditions that your child may have. Should you not have already informed us of a medical condition when you registered online, please do so as soon as possible. Please note that Liverpool FC Football Camps UK accepts students on the assumption that they are in good health. If your child needs to bring any medication with him please give us full information about dosage, time to take the medication, and storage information. Whether your child is travelling alone or you are accompanying them to the camp please make sure that you document the dosage and frequency of any medication they bring in English. If they have specialist medication, a doctor’s note and instructions are preferable. Camp staff will keep medication in a safe place and assist your child to take it at the correct time and in the correct dose. Camp staff, such as the sports therapist, the soccer coaches, and members of camp welfare team are trained in First Aid in addition to the senior staff being qualified in the administration of medication. The camp’s team will be available at registration to discuss any medication your child brings to the camp. The Player Welfare Form you complete will ask about medication but you may be asked again on arrival day to ensure the information is accurate and up to date. If your child is unwell during the camp and unable to participate in training, the camp will contact you and discuss the best course of action. Camp staff will accompany your child to see a doctor or to hospital if required. Please note that if the camp is unable to get hold of you they will follow all medical advice given relating to the ongoing care of the child. For specific medical conditions, we will send you a follow up email for additional information.

Q: Is there anybody supervising the participants during the night?

A: There is camp welfare support staff on site 24 hours per day.

Q: My child is participating for two weeks in the Summer Camp: will the staff take care of him during the transition period between one week to the other?

A: For campers in the two week sessions, there will be staff staying with the children during the weekend between the two weeks.

Q: How do you form the soccer groups for trainings?

A: Players are grouped by age and ability depending on the size of the camp. Coaches are trained to get the best out of individuals in all training sessions. The camp understands friends coming to the camp will want to train together but those of very different ages or levels will develop best by being in the right training group for their age and ability. This is also important for safety in training.

Q: What languages do the coaches speak at camp?

A: Liverpool FC Football Camps UK sessions are taught in English only. For many years, we have had participants coming from all over the world and a lot of them do not speak English but acclimate very well to the camp as there has not been any language barrier in the past.

Q: What qualification do your coaches have?

A: The flagship coaching programme on the Liverpool camps is delivered by an exceptional team of experienced Liverpool FC coaches. As well as being UEFA or FA qualified, all the Liverpool Camps coaches are assessed, selected, and accredited by the club, chosen for having the distinguished qualities required to coach young players ‘The Liverpool Way’. The coaches can motivate and communicate effectively with players of all ages and cultures. Many of them have previously represented LFC all over the world, working on a diverse range of LFC programmes and projects.

Q: What are the camp values?

A: The camp tries to balance between a fun holiday experience and an insight into a professional training environment. All players are part of the Liverpool FC family while at the camp and are expected to uphold The Liverpool Way values of ambition, commitment, dignity and unity while having fun and enjoying their time at the camp. To ensure the camp is a positive and enjoyable environment for everyone, the camp responds quickly to issues of fighting, verbal and physical intimidation or persistent bad behavior. The use of alcohol, cigarettes or drugs is also strictly prohibited.