Universidad Católica Argentina hosted the LATAM 2026 study trip
Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA), a CIES partner since 2004, welcomed participants on the LATAM 2026 tour for an intensive three-day stay in Buenos Aires.
The seventy participants were welcomed to the UCA campus on Thursday 6 August for an academic session led by Luis Castro, Senior Competition Manager – FIFA World Cup 2026, and Freddie McCormick, Senior Client Partner at LATAM Sportian by Globant.
Luis Castro, who previously served as Match Director for the Mexico City Stadium, shared the various experiences he gained during the FIFA World Cups in Russia, Qatar and Mexico. He highlighted the challenges FIFA faced in organising its flagship competition across three countries that are very different in geographical, structural, cultural and social terms.
For his part, Freddie McCormick raised the audience’s awareness of the various technological developments that are transforming sport today and which will significantly influence its near future.
In the afternoon, participants took a tour of the CA River Plate stadium, the largest sports venue in Latin America, which also hosts numerous concerts and other cultural events. They were welcomed by Ignacio Villarroel, vice-president, who spoke about the club’s transformation over the past twelve years, which has enabled it to expand and modernise its facilities, increase its revenue, and enhance its image and reputation.
On Friday morning, the participants gathered once again on the UCA campus to attend a lecture by Javier Renna, CEO of SUIG Legacy, an innovative company specialising in the auctioning – for clubs, athletes or private individuals – of unique sports memorabilia, notably football shirts worn by players during league matches or major competitions. What sets this company apart is its commitment to ensuring the traceability and certification of the items it offers for sale.
UCA then organised a round-table discussion with journalists and content creators: Maxi Palma, Barbara Fritzler, Juan Furlanich, Veronica Brunati and Alfredo Montes de Oca. They discussed the evolution of World Cup audiovisual content and how it is consumed, particularly by younger generations.
The official dinner, held at a venue showcasing Buenos Aires’ architectural splendour, gave participants the chance to relax in an atmosphere conducive to sharing before attending, the following day, the rugby match between the Pumas (Argentina) and the Springboks (South Africa), played at the Vélez Sarsfield stadium as part of the Copa Galicia Visa.
A big thank you to the Universidad Católica Argentina, Mariano Claría, Rafael Trevisán, Miguel Bonorino, Leonardo Piccoli and everyone who contributed, directly or indirectly, to the organisation of this event. We would also like to thank the students, alumni and members of the FIFA/CIES International University Network for their participation.
