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In a legal landscape where football regulation evolves at speed and complexity, the gap between theoretical knowledge and day-to-day practice remains one of the key challenges for lawyers seeking to specialise in the industry.
Addressing this need, the O REI Sports Law Institute, co-founded by Sportia Law partners, has launched the 2026 edition of its Executive Course in International Football Law, a programme designed to align legal training with the realities of professional practice at the highest level of the game.
Running from 12 May to 30 July 2026, the course is delivered in an online format and structured around 10 intensive weekly modules, complemented by two live sessions per week and regular practical assignments.
What distinguishes the programme is its clear methodological focus: not simply understanding football law, but learning how to operate as a football lawyer from day one. This is reflected in its emphasis on applied work — drafting, negotiation, and dispute resolution, mirroring the type of legal services provided to clubs, players, agents, and governing bodies in real scenarios.
The academic content spans the full spectrum of the industry, including:
- Dispute resolution before FIFA and CAS
- Club advisory work in transfers and contracts
- Representation of players, coaches, and agents
- Governance, compliance, and risk management
- Anti-doping and regulatory frameworks
This breadth is combined with a strong practical orientation, ensuring that participants do not approach these areas as isolated disciplines, but as interconnected aspects of a global football ecosystem.
Another defining element of the programme is its faculty. The course is taught by leading practitioners, arbitrators, and industry professionals, bringing direct experience from institutions such as FIFA, CAS, UEFA, clubs, and top-tier law firms.
This exposure provides participants not only with technical knowledge, but also with insight into how decisions are made in practice, often beyond what is visible in regulations or case law.
Beyond the academic structure, the programme also creates a valuable international network, connecting lawyers and professionals who are actively building or consolidating their careers in sports law.
With limited places and an interview-based admission process, the course is aimed at candidates who are genuinely committed to developing a specialised practice in football law.
For practitioners already operating in the field - or those looking to transition into it - the programme represents a structured and practice-driven pathway into the realities of the global football industry.
Further information is available via:
O REI Sports Law Institute: www.orei.institute
Email: contact@orei.institute