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UK Sports Visas

Update October 2026

UK fees rose on 8 April 2026: Standard Visitor £135, International Sportsperson £340 (up to 12 months) or £819 to £943 (longer stays). Visa-exempt athletes must now hold an ETA (£20). From 8 October 2026 visitors can also take part in skills competitions. See our International Sportsperson visa guide.

Individuals intending to travel to the UK for the purpose of participating in organised sport have two main visa options.

Amateurs will usually be able to rely on a Sports Visitor Visa, while those intending to enter the UK to play professional sport or participate in a domestic league will likely need to apply for an International Sportsperson Visa.

Sports Visitor Visa

Amateur sportspeople visiting the UK to practice, train or participate in a short amateur-level competition will usually find a Sports Visitor Visa to be the most suitable visa option. A Sports Visitor Visa is a subtype of the UK Standard Visitor Visa and is appropriate for unpaid sporting activity only.

Nationals of certain countries (such as Australia, the USA, Japan, and EU/EEA member states) may be eligible to enter the UK as a Sports Visitor without applying for a visa in advance.

Applications should be submitted no earlier than three months before the intended date of travel to the UK. To be eligible for a Standard Visitor Visa, applicants must prove that:

  • they have enough funds to support themselves for their whole stay
  • they intend to leave the UK when their visit ends
  • they are not planning to effectively live in the UK by making successive or overly frequent visits

The Home Office fee for a Standard Visitor Visa is £135. If granted, the visa will be valid for six months.

Most applications for a Standard Visitor Visa receive a decision within three weeks.

International Sportsperson Visa

This visa permits individuals to travel to and work in the UK as a sportsperson, coach or sports broadcaster, providing that they have sponsorship from both an employer and their sport’s governing body in the UK. Applicants should expect to provide an endorsement which confirms that they are internationally established and intending to develop their sport in the UK at the highest level.

Most other UK work visas specifically prohibit working as a professional sportsperson.

In addition to proof of sponsorship, applicants should also expect to show:

  • they have enough money to support themselves when they arrive in the UK
  • if staying for more than 12 months, that they speak and understand English to at least A1 level on the CEFR scale
  • travel history for the last five years
  • tuberculosis test results (for applications from certain countries)
  • that they will be paid at least the UK minimum wage

Applications for this visa can be submitted no earlier than three months before the intended first day of work in the UK. Once an application has been received, it can take up to three weeks to receive a decision when applying from within the UK and up to eight weeks when applying from outside the UK.

International Sportsperson Visas can be issued for up to three years, and extended as long as the holder remains eligible.

Applications for visas of under 12 months cost £340 per person. For longer visa applications, the fee is £819 when applying from outside the UK and £943 when applying from within the UK. Applicants will also need to pay a healthcare surcharge for each year that their visa will be valid.

Amateur Visits and Sports Tours

If you are intending to travel to the UK to play sport on a strictly amateur basis, it is most likely that you will be able to do so on either a visa-free basis or by applying for a Standard Visitor Visa.

Visitor or International Sportsperson: which do you need?

The key question is whether you will be paid to play or coach for a UK club or organisation. If you are unsure, book a consultation and we will confirm the right route.

Visitor (with ETA or visitor visa) International Sportsperson visa
Who it suits Amateurs, trialists, and athletes coming for a tournament or event Elite athletes and qualified coaches employed by a UK club or organisation
Sponsor needed No Yes: a licensed sponsor and a UK governing body endorsement
Paid by a UK club No Yes, at least the national minimum wage
Length of stay Usually up to 6 months per visit Up to 3 years per grant, extendable
Government cost (from 8 April 2026) ETA GBP 20 for visa-exempt nationals; visitor visa GBP 135 GBP 340 (up to 12 months) or GBP 819 / GBP 943 (longer), plus the Immigration Health Surcharge
Leads to settlement No Yes, after 5 years (with at least one grant of more than 12 months)

What visiting sportspeople can and cannot do

As a visitor you can generally:

  • take part in a sports tournament or sports event as an individual or part of a team
  • make personal appearances and promotional activities
  • take part in trials, as long as they are not in front of a paying audience
  • take part in short-term training, as long as you are not paid by a UK sporting body
  • join an amateur team or club to gain experience, if you are an amateur

Support staff, such as coaches, physiotherapists and officials who are attending a sports event with an athlete or team, can usually come as visitors too.

Common mistakes

A UK club cannot assign a certificate of sponsorship until the governing body endorsement is in place. Agree timelines with the club before you commit to start dates.

Visitors can take part in trials, but cannot start playing for the club as a visitor. You need the International Sportsperson visa before you play or coach professionally, so plan the application as soon as a contract is likely.

The surcharge (usually GBP 1,035 a year) is paid upfront for the length of the visa, for you and each dependant. It is often the largest cost of the move.

If you leave the UK while an in-country application is being decided, it will be treated as withdrawn. Plan international fixtures around your application.

Frequently asked questions

If you are a visa-exempt national (for example Australian, Canadian or US), you need an ETA rather than a visa to come as a visitor and take part in a tournament or event. Others need a Standard Visitor visa.

Visitors taking part in a tournament or event can generally receive prize money, but cannot be paid by a UK club or organisation to play or coach. If any other payment is involved, check with us first.

Coaches employed by a UK club usually need the International Sportsperson visa, with a governing body endorsement confirming they are a qualified coach who is internationally established.

Decisions usually take about 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks inside the UK. The governing body endorsement can take longer, so start early.

Your partner and children under 18 can apply as dependants on the International Sportsperson visa. Each pays the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Yes. To employ an overseas sportsperson or coach on the International Sportsperson visa, the club must hold a sponsor licence. Read our Sports club and organisation visa guide.

UK sports visa guides

For the full rules on professional sport in the UK, see our detailed guides.

Find the right sports visa for you

Demetris Demetriou

Demetris is a dual-qualified lawyer in the UK (Solicitor) and Cyprus (Advocate) with 10+ years of experience in UK immigration. He completed his legal studies at University College London and City University London. Over the course of his career, he held key roles as Head of Immigration at Legal 500 firms and within the Big4, overseeing teams of 15+ fee earners handling 2000+ applications annually.

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Tatiani Preifelt

Tatiani has a wealth of expertise in global mobility and corporate immigration. Her ample skills were acquired within leading immigration practices including three out of the Big4 firms in both the UK and Sweden. Tatiani went on to co-establish her firm in London where she continues to advise clients predominantly in corporate, business and skilled work migration.

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Her awarded academic work at The University of Oxford, The London School of Economics, and at The Geneva University is in the fields of Political Science, International Human Rights Law, and Global Migration Governance.

She regularly provides immigration training and has recently participated as a speaker and panellist at DGEMS 2023, a global mobility summit hosted by Forbes India.

If you would like to discuss your UK immigration matter or have any questions about your options for immigrating to the UK, you can book a consultation here.