Key UK Travel & Immigration Rules For The Sports Industry During Covid-19

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the sports industry was one of the first to move its people around the world, with sporting events often a test case for further easing measures. Now with varying levels of easing globally, we are seeing more events take place within the context of restricted travel including most recently the UEFA European Football Championship, the British Grand Prix and Wimbledon. It is a constantly changing landscape making managing and travelling to large international events a challenge for sporting professionals and those who work in the industry.

At the beginning of the pandemic, it was necessary to partner with government authorities to create bespoke exceptions for sporting professionals and supporting individuals. While more formal procedures are now in place, the goal posts are moving on a sometimes-daily basis, so it is important to keep up with the changes in addition to the more traditional visa requirements. With post-Brexit immigration measures taking effect at the start of 2021, there is further complexity to factor in here.

Although wide-ranging entry restrictions have been steadily decreasing, most countries still have partial bans for some foreign nationals (sometimes even excluding residents of the destination country) based on outbreaks. There are still many varied “quarantine upon-entry” requirements across the world. In some countries, proof of negative COVID-19 test results, vaccination and/or health certificate rules have started to replace strict quarantine requirements. Additionally, on-arrival health questionnaires and health assessments have become common pre-boarding requirements for international flights.

This article provides key considerations for the sport industry relating to travel to the UK.  Specifically, it looks at:

• Entry To England For General Travel
• Entry To England For Participants In Elite Sports Events
• Domestic Elite Sportsperson Exemption
  • Domestic Sportspersons Based In The UK
  • Domestic Sportspersons Based Overseas
• International Elite Sportsperson Exemption
• Exempted Events
• Brexit
• Tips For Athletes And Their Teams: Assess Your Location Exposure And Plan Ahead