Fundación Real Madrid Campus Experience Camp Airport Transfer Information & Camp Frequently Asked Questions

All Paid Airport Transfers must be pre-arranged.

After collecting their luggage, participants proceed through customs. Participants are then met by a camp staff member in the public arrival area who will be displaying a large camp sign and taken to a meeting point where they will wait with camp staff for the private bus transfer shuttle to the Accommodations site. 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.

For departure, participants will be dropped off at their airline ticket counter. Camp staff will provide assistance if needed to check-in with the airline.

Flight arrivals on Sundays and flight departures on Saturdays for paid airport transfers must be between 9:00am and 21:00 (9:00pm) (additional fee for transfers outside this time frame, please check the Prices Page for fees).

We always recommend mid-day arrivals and late morning departures as there are no activities planned during the day on arrivals and departures days. Participants must arrive on the first date of the camp and leave on the last date of the camp as mentioned on your registration.

It is of vital importance that all necessary flight details are sent to Soccer Camps International with the booking information or as soon as available. We require the exact flight information including dates, airlines, arrival and departure terminals, flight numbers, and flight times. This service must be booked no later than 4 weeks prior to the start of the course.

** Flight information must be provided at the latest 20 days prior to arrival at the camp.

*** Transfer fees won’t be refunded if you select them at registration and decide to cancel them later on before your camp starts (you can always add an airport transfer option after your registration if you need one and when you know your flight details up to the deadline mentioned above); late changes or add-on (less than 3 days before camp start) will incur extra costs.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What is the difference between Campus Experience MAX Camp and Soccer Camp?

A: All camp formats offer a comprehensive sports-instruction programme. Campus Experience MAX is different in that it is higher intensity and there is more time spent training.

There are no requirements for taking part in the standard camp formats held in Valdebebas. However, all Campus Experience MAX participants must be officially registered footballers or play regularly for a club because the training is higher-intensity and the physical demands are greater.

In MAX, the afternoon tournaments last 30 minutes longer, there is an additional training exercise. Participants will have Technical improvement, it is an hour of group training to perform exercises in the player’s position, giving greater importance to technique.

• Campus Experience MAX sessions will have their training site at the Universidad Europea and Pozuelo de Alarcón (Accommodations site is also there and at Pozuelo de Alarcón (STUDENT EXPERIENCE MADRID POZUELO))
• Standard Soccer Camp session will have their training site at Valdebebas (Real Madrid training center) and Accommodations are at the Universidad Autonoma

Q: What age group can attend the Fundación Real Madrid Campus Experience Camp?

A: The Fundación Real Madrid Campus Experience Camp is open to boys and girls (low number of girls participation during the summer) from 7 – 17 years old. The Campus Experience MAX Residential and Day Camp is available from 9 – 17 years old, the Residential Soccer Camp is available from 9 – 17 years old, the Day Soccer Camp sessions from Coming Soon are available from 7 – 13 years old while the Day Soccer Camp sessions from Coming Soon are available from 7 – 14 years old. Residential Soccer Camps and Day Soccer Camps are available to campers of all soccer levels within the age restrictions while Campus Experience MAX Residential Camps and Campus Experience MAX Day Camps are intended for players who play soccer and compete regularly and who are within the age restrictions. 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 (contact us if you have questions). Camp participants need to be the relevant age throughout the duration of the course in order to register.

Q: Can I pick up or drop off my child directly at the campus accommodations site?

A: Unfortunately no. For logistic, security and organizational reasons it is not possible to pick up/drop off the participants at the residences (even for early arrivals or departures). Participants of residential camps will be handed over and picked up near the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (at Calle del Dr. Fleming, 15, 28036 Madrid) only (unless camp airport transfer has been scheduled and paid for). If you are not able to be at the meeting point at the agreed time, the airport transfer service where the camp staff takes participants from/to the airport/bus station/train to the accommodations sites will be required.

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: 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).

All clothing must be marked with the child’s name to avoid any losses or confusion. For the Residential Campers staying 2 weeks, the supervisors will collect the clothes of the children in their charge, which they will take to the laundry service midway through the camp. Once clean, it will be returned to the children.

For soccer shoes, we highly recommend bringing previously used ones in order to avoid blisters or grazes. It is recommended to use multi-stud boots because most of the fields we use are artificial and grass fields. Following these advice, injuries can be avoided.

For Day Camps: Participants’ everyday wear includes t-shirts, shorts, a baseball cap and athletic shoes. Day campers will also need to bring a backpack with them which contains suitable sport shoes (same recommendations as for residential ones), and things for swimming and bathing (bathing suit, towel, swimming cap, arm band flotation devices if needed, flip-flops, and sunscreen).

Please also make sure that your child brings the following items with them to camp: Swimming trunks/costume, swimming cap, sun cap (baseball type), arm band flotation devices if needed, flip-flops, beach towel, sunscreen, Lip balm with SPF, insect repellent, and medication if they need to follow some sort of medical treatment.

It is important that children learn to value hygiene for the sake of those around them. Parents and educators play a key role in the acquisition of such habits and we at Campus Experience want to contribute to that.

Q: What are the check-in and check-out times at camp?

A: For the residential camp there is self check-in on Sundays at: Campus Experience MAX Camps: 3:30pm (15:30) (2 weeks stay July only) – 4:30pm (16:30) (1 week stay July and 1-2 weeks stay August) and Standard Camps: 5:30pm (17:30) near the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium (at Calle del Dr. Fleming, 15, 28036 Madrid) and self check-out on Saturdays at: Campus Experience MAX camps: 12:00noon (2 weeks stay July only) –  11:00am (1 week stay July and 1-2 weeks stay August) and Standard Camps: 10:00am near the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. For the day camp the campers need to be dropped off near the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium around 08:00am in the morning and picked up around 7:30pm (19:30) – 8:00pm (20:00) in the evening (you will receive a camp information email with final details a few days before camp starts).

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

A: Real Madrid C.F. 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 the Fundación Real Madrid Campus Experience Camp.

Q: What are the chances of meeting a player?

A: It is unlikely that the players will be able to attend the Fundación Real Madrid Campus Experience Camp because of their busy training and match schedule. Visits of players are something that can happen and in fact, has happened in the previous editions, but we can never guarantee this. We don’t have access to player’s agendas, thus can not foresee their visits.

Q: Will there be scouts at the camps?

A: As with player visits, we cannot predict when scouts will visit. It is an unpredictable event, which may happen, but we cannot guarantee it at any given time.

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 training groups (no larger than 20 players/coach) 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. Each group will also have 2 monitors assigned.

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 residential soccer camps accommodations are based at Erasmo Residence at the Universidad Autónoma of Madrid with the sports facilities being at the Real Madrid Sports City in Valdebebas. The Campus Experience MAX soccer camps accommodations and sports facilities are at the Universidad Europea de Madrid on the Villaviciosa de Odón Campus (other accommodations site will be Pozuelo de Alarcón (STUDENT EXPERIENCE MADRID POZUELO)). More details can be found on the Camp Location page.

Q: In which facilities do participants train?

A: Facilities where participants train depend on the modality of the camp. Residential and day camps have trainings in Ciudad Deportiva de Real Madrid – Valdebebas. All modalities of Campus Experience MAX camps have trainings in the European University of Madrid, in the facilities of Villaviciosa de Odon and Pozuelo de Alarcón. Campus Experience MAX participants will take part in the final tournament on Friday afternoons at Real Madrid City, Valdebebas, with their fellow students from the other football camps.

Q: Are meals provided?

A: Meals are provided on the residential and day courses. Residential courses include breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks while the day courses include lunch and snacks. The food is adapted to the participants’ needs and to Campus Experience’s specific quality requirements. Each participant’s menu is in line with any religious and medical requirements they may have. Any allergies that the participant may have are stated at the time of registration, so their supervisor will be on the lookout to ensure they get a menu adapted to them personally. The camp does have celiac, vegetarian, lactose-free and pork-free menus but please note that halal food diets and kosher food diets are not available at the camp. If there are any foods that your child should not eat, you need to inform us about this in the allergy section and they will not be given this food while at camp. However, it is important to know that participants are not allowed to bring in food which is prepared outside of the Campus facilities. Unfortunately, due to the large number of allergic children and children with different intolerances and diets who will be living alongside each other on our campuses, under no circumstances will it be permitted to bring in food prepared outside the Campus facilities.

Q: Does the camp offer Halal food diets or Kosher food diets?

A: Halal food diets and Kosher food diets are not available at the camp. Vegetarian option will be available.

Q: My child is a difficult eater and does not like to eat away from home, can he bring his own food with him?

A: Unfortunately, due to the large number of children with food allergies, food intolerances, and food diets who will be living alongside each other at the camp, under no circumstances will participants be permitted to bring in food prepared outside of the Campus facilities.

Q: What does full accommodation include?

A: Residential soccer camp participants will stay mainly in double rooms in the Erasmo Residence at the Universidad Autónoma of Madrid while Campus Experience MAX soccer camp participants will stay in single rooms at the Universidad Europea de Madrid on the Villaviciosa de Odón Campus or Pozuelo de Alarcón (STUDENT EXPERIENCE MADRID POZUELO). Accommodations includes; 3 meals a day, snacks, bedding and full use of site facilities as well as WIFI. Swimming: Participants registered for a camp in Valdebebas will go to the municipal swimming pool located in the Hortaleza district of Madrid. For those in Villaviciosa de Odón (Campus Experience MAX), the swimming pool is located in the vicinity of the European University of Madrid campus. (Participants will be transported by means of a short bus ride, provided by the organization.) More information can be found on the Camp Location page.

The rooms assignments are divided according to the groups and within 1-2 years of age bracket.

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

A: It is suggested that each child brings about 50 – 100 Euros per week of pocket money to buy souvenirs, drinks, snacks etc.

Q: Can I visit my child during the camp?

A: The well-being of all children on Real Madrid sessions is of paramount importance, therefore parents or any other family members are not allowed to visit the participants during the camp. Parents are not allowed to watch the training sessions or the other activities of the camp. For security reasons, no parents or visitors are allowed to enter the sports facilities or accommodations. To guarantee the children’s safety and the correct running of the campuses, parents will not be allowed, under any circumstances, to visit the participants throughout the entire running time of the campuses.

Q: Do I need to inform you of who will be picking up my child?

A: Yes, you do. When registering your child for the camp, you will have to give the full name and the Passport or ID Card number of the person who will be picking them up (for example, the child’s parent or some other family member). The supervisors ask the person who comes to collect your child for some form of identification and, should that person not have identification with them, the camp will be unable to allow that person to collect the child. The camp must have on file, the full name and the Passport or ID Card number for the person who will be picking up your child.

Q: Can I stay on site with my child?

A: There is no accommodation for parents on site. We do not recommend any particular accommodations. It is best to choose a hotel in the Madrid area which meets your requirements. For Day Campers, we recommend that parents look for a hotel near Santiago Bernabeu stadium (Real Madrid stadium) as they will need to drop off and pick up their kid daily near the stadium, following are some recommendations: HOTELS (PDF).

Q: Are there specific Goalkeeping courses?

A: There are specific Goalkeeper training courses available for Soccer Camp sessions from Coming Soon and for Campus Experience MAX sessions from Coming Soon. Just select the Goalkeeper Training Option during online registration. Campus Experience embraces a set of modules especially designed for goalkeepers with specific training designed for them. Please visit the Details Page for more information.

Q: What type of visa do I require?

A: Visa requirements change all the time, please contact your local Spanish Embassy for the most up-to-date information about traveling to Spain. You will come as a “tourist” for the camp.

Q: Is it possible to ask for a place in the same group as my friend or teammate?

A: Yes, you can, as long as the two participants attend the same campus and are from the same sports category. You must indicate this on the registration form in the group preference section. Although we always try to comply with this request, and in most cases it is carried out, we cannot guarantee that it will be fulfilled. We cannot guarantee that children more than 1 year apart are in the same group.

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

A: Accommodation will be in the halls of residence in mainly single rooms (Campus Experience MAX residential camps) or mainly double rooms (Soccer residential camps), with en-suite bathrooms. Bed linen will be provided. For the double rooms, the participants are housed with other participants from the same group and with roughly the same ability level. Should you wish to share a room with a friend or relative please indicate this when you make your booking online. We cannot guarantee that children more than 1 year apart are in the same room group assigned. Please note that we cannot guarantee any room share requests. Please visit the Camp Location page for more information.

Q: Who will the participants’ roommates be?

A: Participants are housed with other participants from their same group and with roughly the same age bracket.

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: What documents do I need to fill out?

A: You will need to upload the following additional document after you register online:

• Copy of Travel Medical Insurance Card:
  • Spain residents: Spanish Health Card Copy is sufficient
  • European residents: European Health Card photo Copy is sufficient
  • Rest of the world residents: Full travel Medical Insurance policy with full description coverage including mention of coverage in Spain or Europe, name of participant, insurance coverage dates during the camp session.
• Copy of Parent Passport or ID:
  This document should belong to the primary parent listed for the child on the online registration
• Digital head shot photograph of camp participant
• Copy of family book (livret de famille) or participant birth certificate:
  (the first page of your Family Record Book (Livret de Famille) (with name of parents and participant mentioned in it) OR the Participant Birth Certificate (with name of parents and participant mentioned in it))

Q: When can I phone my child?

A: Campers are not allowed to use their mobile phones during 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. A given time is set every day for talking to families (this is normally before dinner, from 20:15 to 21:15). The children will be able to call from their mobiles, or receive calls to a number that they will be given. Our facilities also have WiFi, so that they can go online and contact their parents that way, if they want. Campers will be provided the necessary information bit by bit, as the camp start date draws nearer.

Q: What are the camp’s telephone numbers?

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

Q: Is a laundry service available?

A: The laundry service will be available for the 2 weeks Residential Camps and will take place during the weekend between the two weeks. Monitors will collect each participant’s clothes and take them to the laundry where they will be washed and, once ready, clothes will be returned to the participants.

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

A: If your child has any special dietary requirements, if 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: My child takes prescription medication – should I inform you about this?

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 at the camp who will follow your son. It is important that we receive accurate information about any pre-existing medical conditions 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 Fundación Real Madrid Campus Experience Camps accepts students on the assumption that they are in good health. If your child needs to bring any medication with them please give us full information about dosage, time to take the medication and storage information.

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

A: The camp has 24-hour supervision and security available at the accommodation.

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: What languages do the coaches speak at camp?

A: The Fundación Real Madrid Campus Experience Camp is taught in Spanish (MAX Sessions are taught in Spanish and some English). The camp has a large number of Spanish players and the soccer training sessions are coached in Spanish but that does not stop many international players from participating at this camp although knowledge of Spanish is recommended but not mandatory. However, coaches/staff and monitors speak some English during each session. For many years, we have had participants coming from all over the world and a lot of them acclimate very well to the camp as there has not been any language barrier in the past.

Q: What is Campus Experience?

A: Campus Experience is the new camp concept that the Real Madrid Foundation is running to enable boys and girls (low number of girls participation during the summer) aged 7-17 to enjoy an unforgettable experience. At most sports camps, children only do sport, but the Real Madrid Foundation summer camp goes much further. The best sports club in the world has to offer the best sports camp in the world: distinctive, original, innovative, imaginative, comprehensive and excellent. Campus Experience is a new type of camp that combines instruction in sport and other fields to become an intensive and enriching educational process for participants. Through training with Real Madrid Foundation coaches, through the games organized by the supervisors and through communal living, participants become steeped in Real Madrid’s values: leadership, hard work, self-control, teamwork, and respect for others. Every year, we have children who have already been with us on previous occasions come back, and they have no hesitation in repeating the Campus Experience. We also have new boys and girls discovering us for the first time. All of them arrive as individuals, but leave as a TEAM.

Q: What values are developed?

A: Soccer and Real Madrid are core issues whose presence is felt strongly across the board. Along with them, the children will work sequentially on issues relating to the individual (leadership, self-control, hard work), with the collective (teamwork, team spirit, taking part) and with others (solidarity, difference, tolerance, respect for others). Every day will be themed on a value, on which all the activities will be based: Monday – Initiative / Tuesday – Hard Work / Wednesday – Self Control / Thursday – Teamwork / Friday – Respect for Others

Q: How do you pass on those values?

A: The values are involved in the day-to-day activities. The various activities (training, soccer theory, or Campus Experience Activities) relate to the value of the day, and both coaches and supervisors try to pass that value on through their own example and the work done. For example, on the Hard Work day, they work on their soccer skills, learning that talent alone is not enough: constant hard work is necessary to improve. On the Teamwork day, classroom teaching is used to explain to the participants the various tactics and systems used in soccer, and how to work as one; they are taught that an individual can win a match on their own, but a TEAM wins trophies.

Q: How are sports and learning combined?

A: Our comprehensive sports-instruction program is the great innovation that the Real Madrid Foundation is bringing with the Campus Experience. It is about creating a space for learning the skills, methods and values of the players who have made up Real Madrid’s history. This comprehensive instruction program will include training sessions, values activities and sports-culture education. The activities take place at different times of day, run by specialists in each field: Real Madrid Foundation coaches will take the training sessions, while supervisors, educators and specialists will be responsible for recreation activities and sports-culture education.

Q: What is a normal day at the camp like?

A: The routine changes depending on the program type (residential camp or day camp) but the participants generally follow this routine (please note that the below is subject to change):
First thing in the morning is Training. After each training session, as a basic hygiene rule, we ask them to shower and change their clothes, after which we offer them a little snack. After training, Soccer Theory classes are given (information that every sportsperson should know, such as how to stretch properly or eat appropriately). The Campus Experience Activity will take place after Soccer Theory. That is a time for interacting with each other and making friends through games, while learning values that are equally important in sport and in daily life: initiative, hard work, self-control, teamwork, and respect for others. The supervisors who work for Campus Experience are selected for their background in teaching, education, leisure and sport. They also receive broad-based specific training from the organization every year and they therefore have the necessary experience and skills to enable the participants to have fun and learn at the same time. Next comes lunchtime, which is followed by some time in the swimming pool. By early evening they are back in training, which is followed by showers and a snack. Day camp participants end their day at this point (around 19:00). Residential camp participants will enjoy another Campus Experience activity, until the time comes for them to speak to their families. In other words, from 20:15 to 21:15, the residential camp participants can call their parents if they want; alternatively, parents can use this time to call their children (for that purpose, we recommend that they carry a mobile phone so they can be called directly, but parents will be given a phone number to call anyway, in case they prefer to call themselves).

Q: Who are the coaches and instructors that work with children?

A: The teaching staff includes Real Madrid Foundation coaches (with degrees and graduate diplomas in sports science), coaching assistants (with secondary school-level diplomas in sports science), instructors, teachers, educators, and recreation and free-time supervisors.

Q: Which are the recreational and educational activities practiced by participants?

A: To pass on the camp values, there are three types of activity, which we have called Campus Experience Activities:

• The first of them is the Feel Experience Activity, in which all the participants play a big game in which they feel and experience the value of the day. For example, on the “teamwork” day, they play a variety of team-building games, in which they can only win by completing a series of challenges that demonstrate how united the team is. On the “self-control” day, the participants play One to Win, in which they have to demonstrate their ability to control their nerves under pressure in hands-on activities.
• Another is the Fun Experience Activity, which always takes place at more relaxed times, such as before or after lunch. The intention is for participants to have fun playing short games offered in new spaces, such as the swimming pool. Each participant can choose their game, such as soccer volleyball, kickball, or other games unrelated to soccer.
• Lastly, there is the Team Experience Activity, which is intended to remind participants of everything they have worked on during the day. Through exercises and games, each supervisor will sit down with the participants in their group to talk about the value of the day and relate it to their experiences, giving them time to express themselves, to say how they are feeling at the camp and to share their experiences.

Q: Which sport activities do participants practice?

A:  Sports activities are supervised by a Real Madrid Foundation coaching team. The Campus Experience training sessions are made up of 90 min. training in the morning and 60 min. in the afternoon.

The football-theory sessions cover issues such as level tests (an athlete physical preparation, nutrition, rest, hygiene, etc.), individual technique (passing, control, dribbling, etc.), decision-making (sports psychology, football injuries, strapping, etc.), tactics (strategy, set-piece routines, transitions, attack, defence, etc.) and competition (preparing for competition, football rules and regulations, etc.).

The intensity and duration of the various different football-theory lessons will vary according to the Campus Experience format.

Q: Where is the receptive point for pick up and drop off of Participants located?

A: The receptive point for pick up and drop off is near the Santiago Bernabéu (Calle del Dr. Fleming, 15, 28036 Madrid)  for all residential camps and day camps.

Q: How do you organize the transfer from the airport in case the participant travels alone?

A: This service is exclusively for Campus experience Residential Campers. If the participant is expected to be travelling alone, we have an additional service in which a Campus Experience team will be responsible for meeting the participant at the arrivals terminal and taking them directly to the accommodation, where they will be accompanied by supervisors and any other children who have already arrived. Likewise, Campus Experience staff will, at the agreed time, be responsible for taking the participant to the airport (or other mode of transport) to return home. This service consists of:

• Collection from the airport, or bus or train station by Campus Experience supervisors.
• Transfer to the accommodation in transportation owned by Campus Experience.
• Transfer from the accommodation to the airport, or bus or train station, accompanied at all times. The supervisor accompanies the participant to the appointed place for meeting the flight attendants for accompanying minors, who then take charge of the child.

To organize this service, we need you to send us a series of documents with all the complete information on the flight.