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Students from across the world have arrived at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ (²ÝÁñÊÓƵ) Leicester to study on Europe’s top-ranked sports management course, the FIFA Master course. 

Now in its 26th year, the one-year course is coordinated by the Centre International d’Etude du Sport (CIES) and is supported by football’s world governing body FIFA.  

Earlier this month, the course was once again recognised as the number one postgraduate sport management course in Europe in the 2025 SportBusiness rankings – a record-breaking 13th time that the course has held the accolade.  

Students enrolled on the FIFA Master begin their journey at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ’s world renowned International Centre for Sports History and Culture (ICSHC) before spending a term at the SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan, Italy, and Switzerland’s University of Neuchâtel.  

During their time at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ, students will study the Humanities of Sport module, examining the birth of modern sport, its move into professionalisation, gender and equality, internationalisation and ethical issues. 

Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, President of the Japan Football Association and captain of the Japanese National Team at the 2002 World Cup, former Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung, Women’s Champions League winner Ami Otaki and New Zealand’s Olympic gold medal-winning rowers Emma Twigg and Phil Wilson are among the alumni who have graduated from the course.   

Tomoyuki Tamura

Tokyo born and bred Tomoyuki Tamura, 32, worked under Mr Miyamoto at the Japan Football Association and, inspired by his boss’s journey, followed his example and enrolled on the FIFA Master Course.  

Having worked in corporate and strategic planning, managing annual budgets and projects, Tomoyuki is hoping his time in Leicester with his new course mates will bring him new perspectives on the beautiful game. 

He said: “He [Tsuneyasu Miyamoto] said that after graduating from the FIFA Master, that you can understand football from a historical and cultural perspective as well as a playing one. This experience helped him become head of the Japanese FA. 

“I’m open to a lot of opportunities but I would like to explore the sports scenes in the likes of New York too before going back home to Japan and continuing my career there.” 

This year sees not just one, but four firsts for the FIFA Master Course. Lalaina Auriel Ny Andriantsoa becomes the first student from Madagascar to enrol on the course while Abdel Malik Aboubakari Koudize is the first student to come from Niger. 

Ho Yan Lam from Hong Kong, and both Nathaniel Lepani and Alwin Komolong, from Papua New Guinea are also the first to represent their home countries on the course. 

Lalaina Auriel Ny Andriantsoa

For basketball-mad Lalaina, who has volunteered at the sport’s global governing body - the Fédération Internationale de Basketball, the course represents an opportunity to learn more about the management of sports, so she can give something back to her home country. 

She said: “I want to be able to take what I learn here and contribute to the development of sports in Madagascar. There are very talented athletes at home but they don’t often have many opportunities, so I want to find a way of connecting talented people with opportunities, through the network the course provides. 

“It wasn’t originally part of my plan and learning primarily about football is a little scary but it’s the best decision I have made. While I’m at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ, I am really keen to learn more about the history of sports, as well as Leicester too.” 

Media officer and trained journalist Abdel joins the course with a wealth of international experience already under his belt. Having studied in Paris, Abdel has gone on to work as a freelance media officer across his home continent of Africa, covering the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire before travelling last year to Colombia to cover the FIFA Under 20 Women’s World Cup.   

Abdel Malik Aboubakari Koudize

“I’m proud to be the first representative from Niger in this programme,” he said. “I hope it opens the door for more Nigeriens to join this programme. 

“I really want to further my understanding into how sports events are managed and planned. My country has a very young population, so there is a big challenge in engaging in something enjoyable and empowering.  

“For me, one of the key things is to be able to provide sports plans and events and develop those, which is why I am here at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ.” 

Vice-Chancellor of ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ, Professor Katie Normington, said: “For us to have the association with FIFA and work with the other universities as well to create this unique programme is an honour.” 

“It’s an absolutely fantastic programme and the students who come on it are really incredible. They’re often athletes who have represented their country at the highest levels sports and that translates to their work they produce here at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ.” 

The ICSHC leads the Humanities of Sport module, and is made up of Co-Scientific Directors Professor Matt Taylor, Associate Professor Dr Heather Dichter, and Module Coordinator Mr James Panter.  

Professor Taylor said: “Leicester is the perfect place to learn about the history and contemporary significance of sport. As well as being home to elite cricket, football and rugby union clubs, it is a city steeped in a diverse and richly-textured sporting heritage”. 

Dr Dichter said: “We are thrilled to welcome the 26th edition of the FIFA MA to Leicester with the formal opening of the course alongside our Swiss and Italian colleagues.   

“With a variety of professional and sporting backgrounds and from all over the world, the students bring a wealth of knowledge from inside and outside of sport to the classroom which makes the course so exciting for us in the International Centre for Sports History and Culture to teach”. 

James Panter added: “Following a long selection process, it is great to finally welcome everyone to campus. Earlier this summer we marked the 25th anniversary of the course with a special event held at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich and this 26th edition class will be the first to build upon the success of that anniversary milestone.  

“Even after 25 years it is always excellent to see several new countries represented in the class, with Papua New Guinea, Madagascar, Hong Kong and Niger this year.”