Argentine soccer federation, FIU partner for a 10-week sports leadership program
The arrival of Lionel Messi at Inter Miami and the opening of a U.S. headquarters in Wynwood has Miami feeling like a second home to the Asociacion del Futbol Argentino (AFA), which aims to expand the Argentine soccer brand in the United States and around the world.
On Tuesday, AFA announced a partnership with Florida International University for a 10-week sports leadership program that kicks off June 27 to coincide with the Copa America tournament, which is being held in the United States from June 20 to July 14. The final is at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Argentina won in 2021 and will be looking to defend its title.
The 10 seminars will be led by soccer and sports industry experts and cover topics such as sports management, sports governance, athlete contracts, sports communication and marketing, the growth of women’s sports, and sports nutrition. Lionel Scaloni, coach of the Argentine national team, is expected to participate in one of the sessions, which will be a mix of in-person and virtual lectures.
Eduardo Gamarra, Professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations, called the launch of the program “a landmark achievement that bridges educational excellence with athletic prowess. This agreement signifies a powerful collaboration between a major U.S. public university and the reigning World Cup champions, fostering a unique exchange of knowledge and expertise that will benefit both institutions and future sports leaders globally.”
The program will be affiliated with FIU’s Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center.
“Miami and FIU are natural partners for this endeavor, especially in advance of next month’s Copa America and the 2026 World Cup, which will both have games played here,” said Shlomi Dinar, Dean of the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs. “We hope this partnership with AFA opens the door for more collaborative activities between FIU and Argentinean organizations.”
Leandro Petersen, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at AFA, added: “The idea of collaborating with an academic institution aligns perfectly with our goals. The idea is to democratize the growth of the sports industry by having leaders from FIFA and soccer clubs in Europe teach people who enroll in this program why and how they became successful.
“And of course, to learn from AFA the process it took to become world champions, everything from player development to neuroscience, lessons that are relevant in a university setting.”
The program is open to FIU students and to the public. It is not for college credit and there are no prerequisites. Participants receive a certificate of completion. Tuition is $150 for one week, $350 for three and $900 for the full 10-week course. Registration opens June 3. Go to LACC.fiu.edu for more information.
This story was originally published May 21, 2024 at 3:45 PM.