Tour Summary
Saudi Arabia is calling. The Socceroos travel to Saudi Arabia in June for what is sure to be the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match of the third round of AFC qualifying . Direct qualification hangs in the balance and this match is sure to be another epic instalment in the history of Australia’s FIFA World Cup qualifications. The Socceroos are going to need our support, and you are invited to join the GGArmy in Jeddah combining supporting the Socceroos on the away terrace with sensational Saudi tourism highlights.
This tour is fully escorted by experienced GGArmy staff, local guides and includes 4 nights 4-star accommodation with breakfast, welcome dinner event, 3 days of tourism activities, pre-match party, match ticket guarantee, all land transfers, stadium parking and much more…
Saudi culture: Saudi Arabia is a ‘dry’ country. Under no circumstances should any visitor attempt to import alcohol. The importation of drugs and pornography is also strictly prohibited. Clothing must be modest, women are not obliged to cover their heads, however, must always wear long dresses and tops with long sleeves. Men should wear loose fitting light pants.
Package Inclusions
4 nights premium 4-star hotel accommodation
Fully escorted by experienced Tour Leader/Guides
All ground transportation (luxury bus )
Traditional Tour Welcome Dinner Event
1 Exclusive Pre-Match Socceroos Event (including food & entertainment)
3 Day Tours: 1- Jeddah floating Mosque, Mecca Gate & Al Balad old Town; 2- Nassif House Museum & House of Jeddah; 3- Desert Safari
Match Ticket Guarantee*
Best of all, a group of passionate Socceroos fans to share the experience with
*Due to restrictions on the sale of tickets to the FIFA World Cup Qualification matches GGA is not able to bundle match tickets with our travel packages. Currently ticket information and pricing is not released by the Saudi FA. However, we guarantee we will facilitate access to match tickets for all participants and will guide the purchase of tour participant match tickets to complement our tour program or arrange the purchase on behalf of tour participants.
Pricing
Full payment is due within 48 hours of booking.
Guests who have travelled with GGA previously enjoy a Loyalty Discount of $200
Solo Traveller Match Program: we’ll match you with a person of similar age and gender to room share to keep the price down. Twin share pricing applies. 25% of our travellers did this for 2022 Qatar and 2019 France and it was a highly successful program. You can select this option during the booking process.
International Flights are not included in the package price and are to be arranged independently at an additional cost. Need help with your flights? Contact us worldcup@ggarmy.com and we can assist.
Macro Itinerary
The tour itinerary has been designed to seamlessly blend football, culture, tourism highlights and social activities. We understand football is the primary reason you are on tour and while plenty of time has been scheduled for you to explore Jeddah with the group, you also can take time out from group tourism activities to relax in the premium surrounds of our hotel.
Sunday 8 June: ARRIVAL DAY
Arrive in Jeddah, where our staff will be waiting to greet guests who have pre-arranged hotel transfers. After settling into the tour hotel (Rotana Al Manakha Medina), an early evening program briefing will be undertaken followed by a guided familiarisation tour of the local neighbourhood including an informal group dinner. This is a perfect way to be introduced to Jeddah which blends 21st Century architecture with old-world character. Jeddah is a vibrant historical city known for bright lights, fevered trade, and rich cultural heritage.
Monday 9 June: JEDDAH DAY TOUR & WELCOME DINNER
Our local Jeddah Guide will lead an old city tour that will take tour participants back in time. We first drive along Jeddah’s beautiful manicured modern seafront Corniche and visit the ‘floating Mosque’. After that, the new city is juxtaposed with the old as you walk through Mecca Gate and enter Jeddah’s UNESCO World Heritage listed old quarter of Al Balad. On arrival, discover the lively souqs and multi-story houses built of coral stone with their distinctive ‘roshan’ wooden windows that comprise one of the finest old towns in the Middle East. After resting throughout the hottest part of the day at our hotel, activity resumes in the evening where we return to Al Balad to enjoy our Welcome Tour Dinner.
Tuesday 10 June: MATCH DAY: AFC FIFA World Cup Qualifier – SAUDI ARABIA v AUSTRALIA
In the morning, we step back in time and visit Nassif House Museum & House of Jeddah Museum. Nassif House Museum was constructed in the late 1800s for Omar Nasseef Efendi, who was the governor of Jeddah at the time. It is now a cultural centre for the Kingdom’s history. The House of Jeddah, an ancient house with wonderfully preserved belongings as if it were a time capsule. Although it shares the same place and time as Bait Nassif, it distinctly preserved more of its social belongings.
17:30: GGArmy Pre-Match Dinner Event.
21:15 Saudi Arabia vs Australia – Alinma Stadium.
Wednesday 11 June: DESERT SAFARI
Mid Afternoon departure. On our thrilling Desert Safari Jeep Tour from Jeddah, you’ll be delighted by rugged beauty and epic driving. Our journey will begin on the outskirts of Jeddah, in the unspoiled desert terrain. Our local Bedouin guide expertly drives across the sand dunes and through the wild landscape. We will pause to unwind in the tranquil oasis with some dinner. Before watching the breathtaking sunset colour. We will enjoy a BBQ feast prepared just for us, taking in the calm atmosphere. A unique way to celebrate the Socceroos direct qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Thursday 12 June: DEPARTURE DAY
Unfortunately, it is time to leave our tour and continue your onward travels or return to Australia. Those guests who have pre-arranged airport transfers will depart from the hotel for the airport in time to catch flights.
What you can expect to experience travelling with Green & Gold Army
2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar
2018 FIFA World Cup Qatar
Testimonials
Having never been to a World Cup before, Green & Gold Army made it very easy for me- from their information sessions, the booking of the trip, and knowing everything was taken care of for me, including my safety: all I had to do was show up and have fun!
The experiences at and outside of the games were just amazing, and the people I met have become part of my “football” family. I cannot speak highly enough of Green & Gold Army.
Amanda Szalek
We have attended 3 World Cups (South Africa, Brazil & Russia), 1 Women’s Asia Cup (Jordan) and numerous World Cup Qualifiers with the GGArmy. The tours were expertly organised and planned. The organisers faced challenges with transport in South Africa, something they addressed for the Brazil program which was first class. We have shared many happy and memorable experiences with our fellow GGArmy supporters, and our safety was of paramount importance to the organisers, something that was important to us attending FIFA World Cups in South Africa, Brazil & Russia. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend travelling with the GGArmy on any of their tours.
Joy & Merv Fiedler
The atmosphere of the GGArmy 2018 Russia tour was fantastic. The fine detail in the program as organised for us by the GGArmy was amazing and played a big part in the success of the tour. I loved the peace of mind that everything was organised for us. It was awesome and a great thing to be a part of. Many thanks to all the GGArmy tour leaders for the hard work they put in to make every part of the trip seamless for the guests. Nothing was too hard for them!
Emily & Ben Forner
In life you often get lucky. I have been fortunate to be invited to be a host/guide for the GGArmy at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, 2017 FIFA WCQ tour to Japan and 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. They have been the most magnificent experiences. The friendships I have made will last a lifetime. No doubt about it.
However, the one item that stands out the most is the care and thought invested into the tour organisation by the GGArmy leadership. They are football fans united in a passion for the Socceroos and Matildas who direct that energy into the research and planning of their tour programs. The GGArmy leaves no stone unturned in the planning of the program. They deliver quality every time. Bring on the next adventure.