English French Spanish Arabic Ukrainian Turkish

The FIFA Master is a unique 10-month sport (and not solely football...) Master programme, initiated by FIFA, coordinated by CIES, and taught by three prestigious European universities: De Montfort University (Leicester, UK), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Milan, IT) and Neuchatel University (Neuchatel, CH), in association with the Università della Svizzera italiana.

Alumni Feedback

Class 2007

Leah Drew


The FIFA Master was instrumental in preparing me for a career in the sports world. A strong selection of guest speakers, paired with unique opportunities for field visits, provided me with the ideal knowledge base to face the international sports domain. The freedom of the final project allowed me to further hone in on my interests and expand my understanding of the Olympic Movement. As a member of the International Relations department for the Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid Committee, I find myself applying the knowledge I gained during the Master on a nearly daily basis.

Others

David Tang

In 2003 I resigned as a public accountant and decided to focus on my passion for the sports industry. I started this new adventure with the FIFA Master. It was the best decision of my life. After graduation I spent two years with the Asian Football C... more

Maria Elisa Dominguez Rubio (Argentina)

This master for me was an amazing and unforgettable experience. This master is very special for several reasons (...) One of the most important things that this master gave me was the opportunity to share life experiences for one year with people com... more

Olivier Banuls

In 2005, I applied for the FIFA Master in the hopes of being able to build a career in the fight against doping. For our final project, myself and another student studied the protection of the athlete’s health within the realm of anti-doping. We we... more

John Barton (United Kingdom)

The International Master provides students with an excellent theoretical and practical knowledge of the sports industry. The course is well structured and the teaching is of a high standard at all three universities. In addition to the teaching provi... more

Betsy Pollard (USA)

I cannot imagine another Masters program in the world which would offer as many different qualities as this one. The interesting classes and guest speakers is only a part of the whole experience. The three different countries you live in, the differe... more

Mayrilian Cruz Blanco

Since completing the Master I have had exciting positions at Olympic Solidarity, the International Archery Federation, and am now currently managing the Women's Football Development area within FIFA. The Master provided me with insight into the wo... more

Hicham El Amrani

Over the past years the FIFA Master has enhanced its image and popularity tremendously. This is mainly due to the growing network of alumni as well as the relevant academic content of the course. I was pleased to be approached by the Asian Footba... more

Ronnie Stutz (Switzerland)

The FIFA Master was a unique experience, giving me a good overview over the different aspects in the sport industry. For me, the most valuable aspects of the program where the twenty-eight other participants in the course; getting to know their diffe... more


CIES (International Centre for Sports Studies), located in Neuchatel, is a private Swiss foundation, affiliated with the University of Neuchatel and created in 1995 by FIFA (under the impetus of its current president, Mr. Joseph S. Blatter), the University of Neuchatel, and the City and Canton of Neuchatel.

CIES specialises in three specific domains: law, sociology and economy of sport, with a view to bring together the sporting and the academic worlds. Privileging a pluri-disciplinary approach, CIES provides a wide range of research, education and consultancy services.