Master in Global Football Business
Develop the knowledge, perspective and practical capabilities to excel in the business of football.
- Application Deadline: January 31, 2027
- Hybird: Online + Onsite
- Duration: 8-month
Trusted by leaders working at
Program overview
Learning outcomes
What Makes This program Different?
Program director
Laurent Colette
Laurent has spent his career transforming football organizations into global powerhouses. From his C-level leadership roles at FC Barcelona, AS Roma, and Olympique de Marseille to his recent role as COO at Right to Dream, Laurent has redefined football business—focusing on revenue growth, global brand expansion, and operational excellence.
At Right to Dream, Laurent oversaw business units across Ghana, Egypt, Denmark, and the U.S., driving innovation, synergies, and operational efficiency on a global scale.With decades of experience in strategic leadership roles across football organizations and brands, Laurent brings unparalleled expertise to this course.
Key details
- Duration: March 2027 to December 2027
- Live interactive online learning
- Applied case-based discussions
- On-campus modules combined with field trips
- Direct access to expert faculty
- Guided feedback and reflection
- Flexible structure for working professionals
- Can also be completed 100% online
- Global cohort of professionals
- Access: lifetime access to learning materials
- 10% lifetime alumni discount
Here’s everything you need to know about the program.
Get your free brochure.
- Starting on March 02, 2027
- Duration: 8-month
- Hybird: Online + Onsite
- Optionally 100% online
Browse learning plan
The curriculum builds the strategic, commercial, analytical, and leadership capabilities required to contribute meaningfully within football clubs, agencies, governing bodies, and related enterprises.
Understanding the system before making decisions within it.
Examine the institutional architecture of global football, ownership structures, governance, regulation and organisational responsibilities. Develop the ability to understand how football institutions operate, where authority resides and how sporting and administrative functions interact.
Connecting strategic ambition with organisational capability.
Develop the analytical and management capabilities required to formulate strategy, establish priorities, allocate resources and assess organisational performance. Explore how strategic decisions are translated into coordinated action, including change management and organisational effectiveness.
Developing the digital literacy required for contemporary management.
Build a practical understanding of data, business intelligence, emerging technologies and artificial intelligence. Learn to evaluate technological opportunities, interpret information critically and recognise the governance, ethical and operational implications of AI adoption.
Understanding the financial consequences of football decisions.
Learn to interpret financial statements, develop budgets, assess financial sustainability and evaluate investments. Examine the economics of player transfers, academy development and financial regulation, building the capability to support financially informed management decisions.
Understanding how football organisations create and capture commercial value.
Explore the economics of football revenue, including sponsorship, media rights, broadcasting, ticketing and matchday activities. Develop the ability to assess commercial opportunities, structure business cases and evaluate the strategic and financial implications of revenue decisions.
Building sustainable relationships between football organisations and their audiences.
Examine brand positioning, fan segmentation, digital growth, international markets and reputation management. Understand how marketing decisions interact with commercial strategy, sporting performance and the long-term development of organisational value.
Building the organisational conditions for sustained performance.
Explore the distinctive workforce challenges of professional football, including talent acquisition, multicultural environments, organisational culture and change. Develop an understanding of how people-management practices contribute to organisational capability and effectiveness.
Developing the judgement and interpersonal capabilities required to lead.
Examine leadership in high-pressure football environments, executive communication, stakeholder relationships, negotiation, crisis management and team performance. Strengthen the ability to influence decisions, manage competing interests and lead across organisational boundaries.
Translating organisational decisions into effective execution.
Understand the operational systems that support professional football, from competition and matchday delivery to project management and risk. Explore how operational capabilities, cross-functional coordination and disciplined execution support organisational performance.
Bringing the organisation together through executive decision-making.
Integrate the programme’s disciplines through complex football business cases addressing ownership, governance, women’s football, international expansion and emerging strategic challenges.
Participants apply multidisciplinary analysis to develop, present and defend evidence-based executive recommendations.
Taught by experts who have done it
Our world-class faculty of experts infuse each session with next-level knowledge, insights, and research.
Dr Jacob Naish
Head of Purpose, Right to Dream
Laurent Colette
COO, Right to Dream
Will Misselbrook
Chief Creative Officer, LA Galaxy
Daniel Martin
CFO, RedBird FC
Warren Engelbrecht
Founder, We Guide Heroes
Join the success stories
Here’s everything you need to know about the program.
Learn more about this program
Yes. The program is designed in a hybrid format, but can also be completed 100% online.
Master in Global Football Business is an industry-led program focused on how football organizations operate across commercial, financial, media, and operational areas. It is designed for professionals who want to understand football as a business and contribute more effectively within it.
The program is designed for professionals working in football or related industries, as well as individuals aiming to move into football through business, commercial, media, or operational roles.
It is suitable for participants who want to develop a broader understanding of how football organizations function beyond a single department.
Yes. The program is open to professionals from other industries such as business, marketing, finance, consulting, or media who want to build a structured understanding of the football industry.
Yes, most of our students work full-time. That’s why we’ve designed our programs to be completely online and combination of live and self-paced learning – so they can work around the schedule of working professionals, not the other way around.
Participants who complete the program receive a diploma from FOCUS Sports Business School.
The Master in Global Football Business focuses on the commercial, financial, media, and operational aspects of football organizations.
The FOCUS MBA in Football Strategy and Leadership focuses more broadly on leadership, organizational effectiveness, strategy execution, and technical decision-making within football environments.
The program is delivered in a hybrid format, combining online learning with on-campus components.
It can also be completed 100% online for participants who prefer full flexibility.
The program is designed for working professionals.
Participants should expect a 3-5 hours weekly commitment alongside their professional responsibilities.
The program combines structured frameworks with applied discussion and real-world perspectives. Learning is delivered through live sessions, expert input, and interaction with an international cohort.
The program is not a placement program. It is designed to strengthen your understanding of the football industry and improve your ability to operate within it, which can support career progression or transition into football over time.
No specific academic background is required. Applications are assessed based on motivation, professional experience, and interest in football as an industry.
If you have more questions, please contact us at hello@focussports.education. We’re happy to hear from you!
- Starting on March 02, 2027
- Blended, Online + On-campus
