Q: What do you get when you put twenty-eight people with twenty-two different nationalities together in the same room?
The first month of the 27th edition of the FIFA Master has flown by with no time to rest. The action has been non-stop since we all arrived, from different corners of the world, at De Montfort University in Leicester and the International Centre for Sports History and Culture which will be our home during the Humanities of Sport module. For the first time we were able to put faces to the names we had become familiar with through our newly created WhatsApp group.
There was only one birthday to celebrate in the first month, Camila. This provided us with an opportunity to get together as a class and celebrate over dinner. Beyond this, there were numerous other opportunities for us to come together as a group outside the classroom. From watching the Manchester derby on the big screen at the local pub to ten pin bowling where Cory stole the show with his unique technique spinning the ball down the lane, resulting in four strikes in a row. Thanks to our incredible programme Co-ordinator in Leicester, James Panter, a group of us were fortunate enough to attend the Leicestershire County Cricket Club 2026 End of Season Awards Night. This was a unique experience that enabled us to immerse ourselves in local sporting culture in the city.
As a group, we headed to London for a weekend to attend England v Spain at Wembley followed by the Laver Cup. The moment of the weekend undoubtedly was Gabriella’s heroics when a gentleman was knocked down Infront of us leaving his wrist broken and pointing in an unnatural direction. Gabriella, with her nursing background, stayed by the gentleman’s side for over two hours, until the ambulance arrived. The rest of the group, refusing to leave her, also waited. All ended well as the following day the gentleman gave us an update that he was out of hospital with a bulky cast on his wrist and back exploring London. This unplanned experience brought us closer together as a group in more ways than anything planned could have.
Many of us have had the opportunity to sign up and use the high-quality gym and pool facilities at DMU. From an early morning swim to a late-night gym session, there is never a bad time to take advantage of the services on offer at the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Leisure Centre. In the sporting arena, we have already had the opportunity to play multiple matches of futsal, football and tennis. With two former pro footballers in our class in Dylan and Stephanie, the standard is always kept high.
On the academic side we received an insightful introduction to the FIFA Master from the Scientific Committee, module co-ordinators and CIES staff as well as a tour of De Montfort University and surrounding facilities. This was followed by the commencement of our first academic module looking and sports heritage and legacy. Field trips to Wimbledon, Rugby School and the Leicester Tigers Rugby Club at the Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium capped of what has been a whirlwind start to our FIFA Master journey.
If the first month is anything to go by, the adventure has only just begun. The 27th edition of the FIFA Master promises to be the adventure of a lifetime. The most exciting thing is the many memories that are yet to be made.
By Ché Wortley - FIFA Master 27th edition student
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FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, ranked Europe's No.1 course a record 14 times by SportBusiness and No.2 in the world.
Organised by CIES in cooperation with De Montfort University (UK), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland).
