FIFA recently held a FIFA Campus – Essential Courses in Club Management event in Vancouver, bringing together key stakeholders from across the global football landscape for two days of high-level exchange and strategic dialogue.

Held ahead of the 76^th FIFA Congress, the workshop provided a timely platform to address the evolving challenges and opportunities facing professional clubs. With the FIFA World Cup 2026™ on the horizon, discussions focused on how Canadian clubs can harness unprecedented global attention to strengthen their foundations and drive sustainable growth across the domestic football ecosystem.

The programme covered a comprehensive range of topics central to modern club management, including governance, strategic planning, finance, sponsorship, marketing, infrastructure, ticketing and FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP). Participants explored how best practices in these areas can translate into competitive advantages, both on and off the pitch.

“Canada is a market with tremendous potential, and these workshops are designed to support club leaders in building strong, sustainable organisations that can drive the future of the game,” said Ornella Desirée Bellia, FIFA Director of Professional Football Relations & Development. “At FIFA, we believe that clubs are the foundation of the football ecosystem. By investing in their development, we are investing in the long-term growth and sustainability of football as a whole. I would like to thank the Canadian Premier League and Canada Soccer for their vision and support.”

A central theme throughout the workshop was the importance of governance and long-term planning. Clubs that embed strong governance structures and define clear, measurable strategies are better equipped to navigate complexity and deliver sustained success. Equally, discussions highlighted the shift in football finance towards smarter revenue diversification, with clubs encouraged to move beyond cost control and unlock new commercial opportunities.

Sponsorship and fan engagement also featured prominently, reflecting the changing expectations of both brands and supporters. The modern sponsorship landscape increasingly demands value creation through storytelling and measurable impact, while successful fan engagement strategies rely on data-driven insights that begin well before matchday.

“Partnering with FIFA to make the Essential Courses in Club Management available to our club leadership is a valuable initiative for the Canadian Premier League, and we’re thankful for their support in making it possible,” said Costa Smyrniotis, Executive Vice President, Canadian Premier League. “Our ambition is to be the home for Canadian soccer talent, both on and off the field, and we’re proud to continue investing in the people driving our organizations forward. This will help strengthen our clubs, build greater expertise across the league, and support the continued growth and professionalism of the game in Canada.”

Infrastructure was identified as another critical lever for growth, with an emphasis on flexibility and multi-use venues capable of hosting sport, entertainment and community activities. In parallel, legal and regulatory frameworks such as the RSTP were positioned not only as compliance requirements, but as strategic tools that can influence squad planning and generate revenue through mechanisms like training compensation and solidarity contributions.

As the next step in this growing collaboration, FIFA will organise tailor-made workshops for the National Soccer League (NSL), further strengthening knowledge exchange and supporting the development of robust, future-ready club structures in Canada.

“We were excited to see all Canadian Premier League clubs come together in Vancouver”, said Peter Augruso, President of the CSA. “The programme offered a unique platform to learn from global experts across key areas such as sporting strategy, governance, marketing, and club operations and represents a meaningful step forward in strengthening the professional game in Canada, while opening the door for closer collaboration between FIFA and Canada Soccer on the continued development of professional football. We are equally encouraged by the opportunity for the Northern Super League to participate in a similar programme in the coming months, ensuring this shared learning and capacity-building extends across the broader professional game.”