Masters games travel for sports clubs is a group market with a fixed date and no qualifying standard. The next World Masters Games are in Japan, across the Kansai region, from 14 to 30 May 2027. Our Japan team covers the event detail in its trade guide to World Masters Games 2027 Kansai. This note covers what the sending agent controls: the team list, the travel dates, the companions and the days around the competition.
The Facts to Put in Your Proposal
- Dates. 14 to 30 May 2027, 17 days in all.
- Who can enter. Athletes aged 30 and over. Some sports set their own age groups, so check the rules for each sport.
- Sports. 35 sports and 59 disciplines, including baseball, judo, tennis, football, rowing and squash.
- Entry window. General entry opened on 2 March 2026 and closes on 28 February 2027. Each athlete enters with the organisers.
- Venues. Spread across Kansai, with rowing on Lake Biwa in Shiga and football at J-GREEN Sakai.
Start With the Team List
- Ask for each athlete's sport and event. Venues are in different cities, so the sport decides where the team sleeps.
- Collect competition days early. A team in one sport may need only a few days; a multi-sport club may need the whole period.
- Count the companions. Many athletes travel with a partner or family, so the room count is often larger than the team.
- List the kit. Bikes, boats and large bags change the vehicle you need and the storage you ask the hotel for.
Plan the Days Around the Competition
- Arrive early. Athletes want a day or two to rest after a long flight before they compete.
- Give companions a programme. Day tours and cultural visits keep partners busy while the athletes compete.
- Add a short tour after the Games. Kansai makes day trips easy, and some clubs add a few days elsewhere in Japan.
- Offer a second destination. A club travelling from far away may add Korea or Thailand before or after Japan. We can plan both legs with one point of contact.
Why It Matters to the Agent
May is a busy month in Kyoto and Osaka, and the Games add athletes and their companions to that demand. A club that books early gets rooms near its venue; a club that books late may sleep far from it. The agent who confirms the team list, the dates and the companions first is the one who secures the rooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are the World Masters Games 2027?
From 14 to 30 May 2027, across the Kansai region of Japan.
Who can take part?
Athletes aged 30 and over. There is no qualifying standard, but some sports set their own age groups.
Does the DMC register the athletes?
No. Each athlete enters with the organisers. The DMC plans rooms, transfers and programmes for the team and its companions.
Can a club combine Japan with another destination?
Yes. We plan teams in Japan and can add a leg in Korea or Thailand, with one point of contact for the whole trip.
Where Explera Fits
We plan travel for sports teams and their companions, with rooms near the venue, transfers for kit and programmes for the days around the competition, across our destinations: Thailand, Japan, Korea and New Zealand.
Write to b2b@expleradmc.com or message +66 93 656 8090 on WhatsApp. Explera DMC is IATA TIDS-registered (96215733) and an ASTA member (900408341). Explera Thailand holds TAT licence No. 14/05119. Our JNTO and JATA registrations in Japan are in application.
