Soccer and the Law

This course examines the governance mechanisms employed by the sport of soccer and the legal issues resulting from this governance structure.
The first part introduces students to the institutions that set the rules for the sport both on and off the field, and describes the interaction and tension between the international and club game.  The second part describes how this set of private organizations interacts with and is shaped by
legal institutions, particularly those in the US and Europe. Part three looks at national and regional rules attempting to regulate financial aspects of soccer clubs. Part four investigates shortcomings of this governance structure, and how those shortcomings have been treated by soccer’s internal governance mechanisms and by the formal legal system. Finally, students will consider issues on the horizon shaping the future of the sport.