Groundhopping means different things to different people. Some want to complete the 92, others travel across Europe to experience football in different countries, while some spend several nights a week exploring the lower reaches of the non-league pyramid. But does one approach make you any more of a groundhopper than another?
There is something special about visiting a football ground for the first time. Whether it is the anticipation of arriving in a new city, the sight of a stadium rising above the surrounding streets or that first glimpse of the pitch as you make your way to your seat, groundhopping offers an experience that goes beyond simply watching a football match.
Yet spend enough time around the groundhopping community and you quickly realise that we do not all approach the hobby in the same way.
For some, it is about completing the 92 in England. Others want to explore the top divisions across Europe, experiencing different football cultures and visiting some of the continent's most famous stadiums. Then there are those who are just as happy spending a Tuesday evening at a small non-league ground as they are watching a match at a major stadium.
My Groundhopping Journey
Personally, I fall into the first two categories. My groundhopping ambitions centre on the 92 in England and visiting the top two divisions across European countries. I enjoy the combination of football and travel, discovering new cities, experiencing different atmospheres and seeing how clubs and supporters approach the game beyond our own shores.
There is something appealing about watching football in another country. A match can become part of a much bigger experience, combining local food, sightseeing, unfamiliar surroundings and the chance to see a stadium you might previously have only encountered on television. That's what's led me to Italy to the San Siro, a bucket list stadium that I combined with a visit to see the LCFC legend Jamie Vardy at Cremonese in the 2025/26 season.
Then just last week, I went across to RC Lens and LOSC Lille to take in a couple of matches. I tend to adopt a team in a country, the Dogues of Lille are my Ligue 1 outfit, the red and black of AC Milan have long been my Serie A team. I've yet to adopt a German or Spanish side though I am starting to lean towards two outfits but I need to visit before confriming!
The 92 offers a different but equally compelling challenge. There is a defined collection to work towards, with grounds ranging from enormous modern stadiums to more traditional venues that have served their communities for generations. I don't have as much time these days to hit the 92 regularly but I'm still knocking them off when family life allows, Oakwell being my most recent.
Where I sometimes struggle, however, is with non-league football.
I can appreciate the importance of non-league clubs, the volunteers who keep them running and the supporters who follow them week in, week out. These clubs are an essential part of English football, often providing a connection to their communities that is difficult to replicate at the highest level.
But if I am honest, travelling to a small non-league ground purely to watch a match does not always have the same appeal for me. The occasion, the stadium, the club's history and the wider experience all influence where I want to go. I am naturally drawn towards the professional game, particularly when it gives me the opportunity to combine football with exploring somewhere new.
And that got me thinking: does that make me any less of a groundhopper?
The appeal of the smaller grounds
For plenty of groundhoppers, non-league football is where the real magic lies.
They might attend two or three matches a week, travelling around the country to watch clubs that most football supporters have never considered visiting. A Tuesday-night fixture under the floodlights, a Saturday afternoon in an unfamiliar town and perhaps another game on Sunday can make for a busy week.
For these supporters, the attraction is not necessarily the size of the stadium or the level of football. It is the variety, the accessibility and the satisfaction of discovering somewhere new.
There is undoubtedly a romance to non-league football. You can stand close to the pitch, chat to club officials, enjoy a drink in the clubhouse and experience the game in a setting where supporters and those running the club often know one another personally.
The grounds might have modest facilities and small crowds, but that does not mean the passion is any less genuine. For some, these experiences are far more rewarding than sitting in a stadium holding tens of thousands of people.
I can understand that appeal, even if I do not necessarily share the same enthusiasm for it.
After all, the things that make a ground special to one person will not always have the same effect on somebody else.
Is groundhopping about the numbers?
Part of the attraction for many people is the challenge of building a collection. Completing the 92, ticking off grounds across Europe or working through the non-league pyramid provides a clear target and a sense of achievement.
Others are less concerned with completing a particular list. They might have visited hundreds of grounds, but their motivation comes from finding an interesting fixture, discovering an unfamiliar club or travelling somewhere they have never been before.
There can also be a competitive element to the hobby. Who has visited the most grounds? Who has completed the 92? Who has watched football in the most countries?
There is nothing wrong with taking pride in those achievements. But should the number of grounds visited, or the level of football watched, determine how seriously we take somebody's groundhopping credentials?
Does somebody who has visited hundreds of non-league grounds have a greater claim to the title than someone who has concentrated on professional football across Europe? Is a groundhopper who has completed the 92 somehow less committed than someone who watches three matches every week at different levels of the pyramid?
I do not think there is a straightforward answer, because we are measuring very different things. One person might have an impressive collection of grounds, while another has built their hobby around international travel and experiencing different football cultures.
The numbers tell part of the story, but they do not tell us why someone enjoys groundhopping in the first place.
So, what makes a proper groundhopper?
Perhaps the difficulty is that we sometimes try to put a definition around a hobby that means something different to everyone who takes part.
For me, groundhopping is about visiting football grounds beyond the club I support, with the 92 and the professional leagues across Europe providing the main focus. I am not particularly motivated by the prospect of visiting every small non-league ground, and I doubt that will change.
For somebody else, the thought of travelling abroad to watch a major European club might hold little appeal compared with discovering a new ground in the eighth tier of English football.
Neither approach needs defending.
I would argue that if you are actively travelling to different grounds to experience football, then you are groundhopping. You do not need to visit every level of the pyramid, reach a particular total or follow somebody else's checklist to qualify.
Of course, there will always be people who believe certain achievements carry more weight than others. Completing the 92 is a significant undertaking, just as visiting hundreds of non-league grounds takes considerable dedication. Travelling extensively across Europe brings its own challenges, from the cost of travel to fitting matches around work and family commitments.
But these are different achievements, not necessarily competing definitions of the same hobby.
Enjoy the journey
I may never become the person heading out three times a week to watch non-league football, just as some groundhoppers may never feel the urge to travel across Europe ticking off the major professional stadiums. That is perfectly fine.
What matters is understanding what draws us to the hobby in the first place. For some, it is the atmosphere of a packed stadium. For others, it is the intimacy of a small ground, the challenge of completing a list or the opportunity to discover a new town.
My preference is to explore the professional game in England and across Europe. I appreciate those who take a different route, even if it is not one I would naturally follow myself.
So, am I any less of a groundhopper because I struggle to find the same appeal in non-league football?
I would say no. But perhaps the more interesting question is why we feel the need to compare our experiences at all.
Groundhopping is a hobby, not a competition to decide who loves football the most. The grounds we visit might differ, but the curiosity that takes us somewhere new is what connects us.
What do you think?
Are you focused on the 92, the top divisions across Europe or the non-league pyramid? Do you want to visit as many grounds as possible, or are you more interested in particular clubs, stadiums and experiences?
And do you think there is such a thing as a proper groundhopper, or is it simply a case of finding your own way to enjoy the game?
