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With World Cup around corner, FIFA program…
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With World Cup around corner, FIFA program gives lawyers access to ‘football legal ecosystem’ around globe
January 6, 2026, 9:08 am CST
Professional footballer Lionel Messi of Argentina (center) lifts the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 winner’s trophy following the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on Dec. 18, 2022, in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
In 2021, Christina LaBrie became one of the first graduates of FIFA’s Diploma in Football Law program, which offers sports lawyers and professionals an extensive overview of football law issues and trends worldwide.
“Football law is often something that’s learned on the job—you don’t learn it in law school,” says LaBrie, the senior vice president of player relations for Major League Soccer. “The FIFA program offered an opportunity to develop a comprehensive and detailed knowledge base of football legal principles that were taught by the most well-respected experts in the field.”
The legal framework that governs football, FIFA’s transfer regulations and disciplinary and doping matters are among the topics covered in the Diploma in Football Law program’s five modules. They are taught over a period of 12 months in Miami; Asunción, Paraguay; Rabat, Morocco; Dubai; and Zurich, Switzerland.
FIFA, the global governing body for football, recently launched the fourth edition of the program, which it says will provide “ambitious and football-focused sports legal executives working at FIFA member associations, leagues, clubs, players’ unions and private practices with every important aspect of the football legal ecosystem.” The application period is open until Jan. 15.
LaBrie completed the program online during the COVID-19 pandemic and says she still benefits from the connections that she made with colleagues in football law around the globe. She has a background in international relations and practiced as an immigration attorney for several years before transitioning into sports law.
Christina LaBrie, the senior vice president of player relations for Major League Soccer, is a graduate of the FIFA Diploma in Football Law program. She has participated in other FIFA events, including as a speaker at the FIFA Football Law Annual Review on Feb. 28, 2025 in Miami. (Photo by Eva Marie Uzcategui/FIFA)
“I’m fascinated with international culture, society, politics, finance, how that all works together, and football is where all of those things overlap,” LaBrie says. “And then you cross that with the U.S. soccer structure, which is different from football worldwide, and you get this interesting confluence of issues.”
LaBrie joined Major League Soccer in 2018 and now oversees player signings, salary budgets and the onboarding process for its 30 clubs. She applies a lot of what she learned during FIFA’s Diploma in Football Law program to her work with nearly 200 international player transactions each year.
“It’s really critical to be able to understand the context and the perspective of clubs and players involved in those transactions, so I can be sure we’re going to have an efficient resolution of issues and a positive result for our MLS clubs,” she says.
LaBrie encourages other lawyers, no matter their level of expertise, to apply to the program.
“It’s a rare opportunity to be able to learn directly from the source, and any lawyer working in football can benefit from the wisdom of these exceptional speakers and the challenging curriculum you participate in along the way,” says LaBrie, who also has returned as a speaker in the program.
The latest edition will accept up to 30 participants, who will start the first module in Miami in May. For more information or to apply, visit the FIFA Diploma in Football Law website.
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