International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES)

The International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) is an independent study Centre founded in 1995 in Switzerland by FIFA and the City, the State and the University of Neuchâtel.

Using a multi-disciplinary approach (law, sociology, geography, history and management), CIES encourages the exchange of knowledge and experience between stakeholders from both academia and the international sports industry. Thanks to its international network of universities and experts, CIES supports and conducts research and education projects all around the world.

CIES is a hub for research as the CIES Football Observatory, specialised in the statistical analysis of football/sports data, and the CIES Sports Intelligence, a team focusing on aspects of sports governance, finance, legal and development show.

At an educational level, CIES organises the FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport in Europe which recently celebrated 25 years of success and with over 90% of our 700+ alumni, and who represent 120+ nationalities – now working in the sports industry. CIES is also the home of the FIFA/CIES Programme in Sports Management which brings together Universities from around the globe (20 countries) to propose a curriculum of continuing education with locally adapted programme.