Master in International Sports Law
Program director:
Mr. Dev Kumar Parmar
Campus:
Madrid
Date:
September 2026, January 2027
LANGUAGE:
English
ACADEMIC STAY:
University of Cambridge / Switzerland
Turn sport into a field of justice, strategy, and global opportunity.
The Master’s Degree in International Sports Law offers high-level training to understand, analyze, and operate within the complex legal ecosystem surrounding sport on a global scale. This program combines solid legal knowledge with a strategic understanding of the rules, procedures, and structures governing competitions, agents, clubs, and sports institutions worldwide.
Through a practical methodology focused on the analysis of real cases and the development of applied skills, you will build the competencies needed to provide sound advice on contractual, regulatory, dispute resolution, and sports compliance matters, both in national and international contexts. This preparation positions you to take on leadership roles in specialized law firms, sports entities, international organizations, and projects where sport intersects with law, ethics, and strategic management.
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Introduction and objectives
If Law deals with all the ways we interact, few things connect us in the way that Sport does. In a way, it has become a global language. Such is the power of the Law that regulates it and the professionals who work in it.
After many successful editions, ISDE’s Master in International Sports Law is considered the reference in the sector. It is a full-time Master, which combines lectures sessions on site, where you receive training from the most qualified professionals of the sector, with a second period of internships, in one of the collaborating firms, organisations or clubs.
The excellence of its training speaks volumes about the positions its former students hold today. For this reason, it is not only a training opportunity, it is a gateway into the business and the best opportunity to achieve the Networking and Business Synergies that are essential in this Industry.
Structure, location and calendar
Two phases:
Phase one: Classroom instruction:
- One academic semester.
- Fridays dedicated to personal study, group work and workshops.
- The Master in International Sports Law includes two educational stays abroad. The first one at the University of Cambridge. The second one in Switzerland, visiting the most important international sport institutions.
Second phase: Integration in internships:
- Obligatory phase. Between 3 to 6 months in law firms or legal departments of large companies, clubs or sports institutions.
Career Opportunities
- Law firms, audits and Big Four
- National or international sports intermediary
- Representative Agencies
- Private and public federations and institutions
- National or international sports entities
- Sports Entertainment Industry
- E-Sports and video games
- Organisation and management of sports events
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
INTRODUCTION TO SPORTS LAW
- General introduction to sports law
- State law vs. sports law
- Legal forums and development of Lex Sportiva
- Sources of law and development of Lex Sportiva
- Introduction to CAS and its impact on Lex Sportiva
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPORTS LAW AND OTHER AREAS OF LAW
- Labor law
- Contract law
- Civil law and criminal liability of athletes
- Economic and financial principles of sport
- European law in the context of sports law: competition
- Tax law
- Corporate law (M&A)
- Intellectual Property Law
- Entertainment Law
THE SPORTS MODEL
- The sports agreement
FOOTBALL GOVERNANCE WORLDWIDE AND IN EUROPE
- FIFA
- UEFA
- EPFL
- ECA
- CONCACAF
- CONMEBOL
- AFC
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
- Alternative dispute resolution: national and international level
- General introduction to alternative dispute resolution at the international level
- Arbitration
- Mediation
- Conciliation
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION: NATIONAL LEVEL vs INTERNATIONAL LEVEL: FEDERATIONS AND TAS / CAS
- General information
- Ad-hoc divisions and relevant awards
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPORTS LAW AND SWISS LAW IN EUROPE
- Swiss Civil Code and Swiss Code of Obligations
- PILA
- Swiss Federal Tribunal
DOPING
- WADA and the Anti-Doping Code
- Doping and state law
- Doping procedures
SPORTS LAW IN SPAIN
- Regulatory framework
- Higher Sports Council
- Professional Football League
- Federations
SPORTS LAW IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (In collaboration with the University of Cambridge)
- Introduction to English law and common law in the United Kingdom
- Common elements in UK sports legislation
- UK sports law vs. global sports law
- Relevant UK sports legislation and institutions
- Premier League and Football Association
SPORTS LAW IN THE UNITED STATES
- Introduction to sports law in the United States and the American sports model
- Sports law and national identity
- Common elements of U.S. sports legislation
- Antitrust framework for professional sports
- Dispute resolution in professional sports in the United States
- Amateur sports in the United States (NCAA)
- Intellectual property disputes in sports in the United States
SPORTS LAW IN LATIN AMERICA
BASKETBALL
- FIBA
- EuroLeague
- BAT
INDIVIDUAL SPORTS
- Tennis – ITF
- Boxing and martial arts: AIBA, WKF, UFCXV.
MOTOR SPORTS
LEGAL WRITING AND SKILLS
- Contract drafting and negotiation
- Written submissions to FIFA
- Written submissions to CAS
- Opening and closing statements
- Examination and cross-examination of witnesses
- Presentation of evidence
SPORTS TECHNOLOGY
- Legal framework of e-Sports
- Blockchain and e-Sports
- Players’ rights in commercialization: from image rights to wearable technology.
- VAR – Video Assistant Referee
MISCELLANEOUS
- Games and sports betting
- Match-fixing
- Agents and intermediaries
*The program is subject to possible modifications by the ISDE academic team or the program management
FACULTY
- Omar Ongaro – Switzerland
Lawyer, Head of Players’ Status & Governance at FIFA - Pedro Garcia Correia – Portugal
Sports Lawyer – Partner at CSA – Law Firm - Dennis Koolaard – Netherlands
Attorney at De Kempenaer Advocaten - Ramón Mullerat – Spain
Lawyer, Partner at PWC - Mitch Nathanson – USA
Lawyer, Villanova University - Ricardo Oliveras – Spain
Partner at Écija - Íñigo Quintana – Spain
Lawyer, Partner at Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira - Luis Alonso – Spain
Lawyer, Partner at Clifford Chance - Roberto Álvarez – Spain
Lawyer, Partner at Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira - Leonardo Andreotti – Brazil
Lawyer, Partner at Andreotti Advocacia Desportiva - Andrew Brandt – USA
Lawyer, NFL - Delia Castaños – Spain
Lawyer, Gómez Acebo & Pombo - Brianna Quinn – Switzerland
Lawyer at Lévy Kaufmann-Kohler - Javier Hernández Galante – Spain
Lawyer, Partner at Ashurst - Rodrigo García Lucas – Spain
Lawyer, Laffer Abogados - Julien Sieveking – Canada
Chief Legal Manager at WADA - Vered Yakovee – USA
Vice President & Associate General Counsel at Miami HEAT - Daniel Cravo – Brazil
Partner at Cravo, Pastl, Balbuena - Alfonso Gómez-Acebo – Spain
Partner, Cuatrecasas - Robert Pongracz – Romania
Vice President en Liga Profesionista de Fotbal - Daniel Muñoz – Spain
Partner at Muñoz & Arias Sports Lawyers - Desirée Bellia – Switzerland
Director of Professional Football Relations and Development at FIFA - Rodrigo Arias – Switzerland
Integrity Manager – FIFA Security Division - Gregory Bloom – USA
Partner at Chase Lawyers - Oliver Jaberg – Switzerland
Director of Integrity & Institutional Legal, FIFA - Mike Morgan – UK
Partner at Morgan Sports Law LLP - Dr. Marc Lenz – Switzerland
DFL Head of Corporate Strategy; UEFA Club Licensing Committee - James Bunting – Canada
Partner, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg, LLP - Ulrich Haas – Switzerland
University of Zurich - Ariel Reck – Argentina
Sports Lawyer - Jeff Miller – USA
Lawyer - Takehiko Nakamura – Japan and USA
President and CEO at Blue United Corporation - Íñigo de la Calle – Spain
Partner at Senn Ferrero - David Casserly – UK and Switzerland
Barrister - Sarah Ochwada – Kenya
Sports & Entertainment Lawyer, Arbitrator - Daniel Lorenz – Portugal
Head of Internationalization at FC Porto - Loïc Morin – France
Responsable Service Juridique LFP - Kate Porter – USA
Associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP - Claude Ramoni – Switzerland
Partner at Libra Law - Wouter Lambrecht – Switzerland
Head of Legal at the European Club Association - Mario Vigna – Italy
Italian Olympic Committee - Stephen Bock – Switzerland
Legal Affairs Manager at Fédération Internationale de Volleyball - Elisenda Salrach – Spain
Legal Director at Euroleague - Alberto Fortún – Spain
Lawyer, Partner at Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira - Benjamin James Rutherford – UK
Senior Director, Legal at International Tennis Integrity Agency - Pierfilippo Capello – Italy
Head of Sport at Deloitte Legal Italy - Sergio Barrasa Antón – Spain
Lawyer, Zurbarán Abogados - Hugo Pazos de Provens – Spain
Key Account Manager at YouFirst - Luis Cassiano Neves – Portugal
Partner at 14 Sport Law - Thierry Aballéa – France
President, Bretons du Berreau - Daniel Cerejido Arias – Switzerland
Club Relations Senior Manager at ECA - Alfonso Gómez Acebo – Spain
Partner at Cuatrecasas, International Arbitration - Georgi Gradev – Bulgaria
Co-founder, SILA International Lawyer - Anna Smirnova – Spain
International Sport Law Attorney - Marcelo Franklin Dos Santos Filho – Switzerland
Member of the International Fencing Federation Doping Disciplinary Tribunal - Alexandre Mathieu Lousberg – Belgium
Football Scouting Coordinator at Standard de Liège SA - James Kitching – Australia
Managing Director at The FC - Guilherme Von Cupper – Portugal
CEO at Berlin Sports - Blaz Tomazin – Slovenia
Co-founder, Bolcar Law Office - Juan de Dios Crespo Pérez – Spain
CEO at RH & C Sports Lawyers - Claude Ramoni – Switzerland
Founding Partner at Libra Law - Wouter Janssens – Belgium
Partner at CRESTA Law Firm - Olivier Ducrey – Switzerland
Partner at TimesAttorney - Francesco Macrì – Italy
Lawyer – Arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sport - Andreas Jens – Germany
Partner at BluePort Legal - Patrizia Diacci – Italy
Lawyer, Sport Dept. - Ignacio Trigero – Spain
Partner at Senn Ferrero - Nasr el dim Azzam – Egypt
Partner & Attorney at Law Sport Makers - Matthew Kaiser – US
Counsel, Dispute Resolution Unit at US Olympic & Paralympic Committee
*The faculty is subject to modifications
ACCREDITED DEGREE
Once the relevant Program has concluded and ISDE has verified that the STUDENT has completed their work satisfactorily, the STUDENT will receive the corresponding Degree certificate for the PROGRAM.
In compliance with current legality and, specifically, as set forth in article 4.4 of decree 84/2004, it is noted that ISDE’s programs are professionally oriented and therefore, unless explicitly stated otherwise, they are courses that do not lead to the acquisition of a title with official value, but to that of a proprietary title from ISDE.