FIFA Master awards success continues with new No.1 in Europe and No.2 in the world rankings
The FIFA Master has maintained its position as the leading postgraduate sport management course in Europe with a record-breaking 14th No.1 award in the new 2026 Sport Business rankings. In addition, the course has been named as No.2 in the world.
Each year around thirty students are selected to participate and complete their studies in Management, Law and the Humanities of Sport. It is organised by the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) in cooperation with the International Centre for Sports History and Culture at De Montfort University in the United Kingdom, SDA Bocconi School of Management in Italy and the Sports Law Faculty at the University of Neuchâtel in Switzerland.
The latest rankings underline a clear advance in graduate employability. Each year the programme has strengthened careers support, industry connections and alumni engagement, opening the way for students to take on meaningful roles across the international sports sector and further cementing the course’s standing for career development.
Reacting to the latest ranking announcement, President of the FIFA Master Scientific Committee, Prof. Thomas Probst said, “The Scientific Committee is extremely proud of everything that we have achieved together, and this latest success is something we should all celebrate, and especially our alumni who have helped to build the outstanding reputation of the course within the industry”.
CIES General Secretary Vincent Schatzmann added, “The new 2026 rankings once again demonstrate that the FIFA Master and our partner universities continue to provide our students with the necessary foundations to build a successful career in international sport business. The new Sport Business announcement provides excellent recognition of the work we do each year to achieve that”.
The FIFA Master is now the first and only course to have been ranked No.1 in Europe by the independent Sport Business rankings on fourteen separate occasions, following previous success in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Speaking about his time on the course, 2023 graduate and now Zonal Unions Affairs Manager at the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Okenna Onwuzurumba, said, “The structure of the FIFA Master programme, built around three core modules in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, enables a comprehensive appreciation of how each dimension contributes to and shapes the industry as a whole. The quality of the lecturers, combined with the opportunity to engage with industry leaders, provides invaluable insights and practical guidance for career development”.
2016 graduate and now Commercial and Broadcast Operations Manager at UEFA, Adrienne Lerner, added, “The FIFA Master was the first time I was truly immersed in an international environment on a daily basis. Being open-minded, adaptive to different personalities, working styles, ideas and cultures are experiences which are now part of my everyday job. These are skills developed during the programme”.
Since the FIFA Master first launched in 2000, over 700 students have graduated from the programme and approaching 90% are now working directly in the industry for organisations such as FIFA, IOC, UEFA, AFC, CAF, FEI, FIVB, various clubs, event organisers, sports marketing agencies, NGO’s and media companies.
International Olympic Committee Sport Director, Pierre Ducrey, graduated in 2003 and retuned this summer as Patron of the 26th edition of the course. He said, “Completing the FIFA Master proved to be a key step in my career. It allowed me to meet fantastic individuals who became close friends, meet with key people in the industry and confirmed that this was the career I wanted to pursue”.
Applications for the next edition of the FIFA Master (September 2027 start) will open in early October 2026. Further information and the dedicated course application form is available at this link - https://www.cies.ch/education/fifa-master/apply-to-the-fifa-master
