ACADEMIC YEAR 2026-2027

FOOTBALL MANAGER

Period

OCT 2026 - MAY 2027

Format

IN PERSON

Training

560 HRS

Location

MISANO ADRIATICO

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FOOTBALL MANAGER COURSE

8TH EDITION - 2026 / 2027

The Football Manager Course at Accademia dello Sport, now in its 8th edition, is the ideal pathway for those who want to work in sports management and within professional football clubs.

The programme offers 560 training hours between classroom, experience in Serie A, B and Lega Pro professional clubs, 160 hours with the University of Bologna for the FIGC Sports Director qualification, and 3 months of guaranteed internship.

At the end of the programme, targeted job placement in partner clubs is provided, along with the opportunity to take part in an optional internship in Los Angeles to experience American professional football.

Training

420 classroom hours + 160 hours with the University of Bologna for the Sports Director qualification.

Experience

Exclusive access to Pro Clubs and 3 months of guaranteed internship.

Final Thesis

Technical paper and access to the F.I.G.C. Sports Director exam.

Job Placement

Targeted placement in partner clubs and optional internship in Los Angeles.

Training

420 classroom hours + 160 hours with the University of Bologna for the Sports Director qualification.

Experience

Exclusive access to Pro Clubs and 3 months of guaranteed internship.

Final Thesis

Technical paper and access to the F.I.G.C. Sports Director exam.

Job Placement

Targeted placement in partner clubs and optional internship in Los Angeles.

STUDY PLAN

A comprehensive multidisciplinary programme to master every aspect of modern football management.

Football

Football geography
Sports tradition and culture
FIFA, UEFA
FIGC, A.I.A, A.I.C.
Amateur and professional levels
Setting up a Sports Club

Women's Football

History and socio-economic evolution
Football in Italy and worldwide
Differences and similarities between women's and men's football
Training methodologies

Youth Academy

Grassroots activities
Competitive activities
Youth Academy Director
Grassroots Activity Director
Youth Academy Tutor
Academy

First Team

General Director
Sporting Director (course with UNIBO)
Team Manager
Management organisation and activity planning

Coach

Youth academy
First team
National team
Tactics

SLO and Referee

The role, responsibilities and duties
The rules of the game of football
The SLO's role in modern football
Analysis of the SLO figure

Scout

Youth academy
First team
National teams
Coaches
Women's football
Roles to scout (goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, striker)
Scouting platforms and technologies

Club Secretary

FIFA, UEFA and FIGC regulations
Sports justice (CONI)
Bosman ruling
Sports representation contracts
Contractual agreements with agents
Privacy

Sports Agent

History and evolution of the sports agent
How to become an agent
Agent for players and coaches
Managing clients and sponsors
Negotiation techniques

Sports Marketing

Marketing for a sports club
Sports events: camps, tournaments, friendlies
Social media management

Sports Journalism

Mass media
Sports journalism
Organising a sports programme
Creating a live commentary

Professional Positioning

Relationship with the athlete
Coaching in sport
Personal Branding
Writing the perfect CV
The job interview

Football English

Vocabulary and historical sports references for B2 level
B2 Level Certification Exam

Sports Medicine and Psychology

Medical staff in the First Team and youth sector
Managing and recovering from athlete injuries
Nutrition and doping
Sports psychologist
Mental coach

Athletic Training

Global and functional assessment parameters
Athlete report
Practical exercises on athlete evaluation
Division of athletic training
Athletic preparation and the typical week

Communications and Press Officer

Communication in football clubs
The transformation of sports communication
How to write a press release
Organising a press conference

Sports Law

Doping
The Italian sports justice system
Collective agreements
Legal advisory profile for athletes, clubs and agents

Football Manager

Communication in football clubs
The transformation of sports communication
How to write a press release
Organising a press conference

Match & Training Analyst

Theoretical Part

Birth of Match Analysis and its development
Match & Training Analysis
Athlete performance and performance indicators

Practical Part

Using Match Analysis technology
Video analysis
Tactical analysis
Practice at affiliated clubs

Artificial Intelligence

AI for sport
Data and video analysis
Match analysis
Advanced scouting

ACCADEMIA LAB

Opportunity to spend an academic month in Los Angeles in July to experience the US reality through training and practical experiences.

Scroll horizontally to see all modules

Football

Youth Academy

First Team

Coach

SLO and Referee

Scout

Club Secretary

Sports Agent

Sports Marketing

Sports Journalism

Professional Positioning

Football English

Sports Medicine and Psychology

Athletic Training

Communications and Press Officer

Sports Law

Football Manager

Match & Training Analyst

Artificial Intelligence

ACCADEMIA LAB

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Program

Teaching modules

Teaching module

Football

Football club structure and organisation
Scouting and talent development
Women’s football and technical projects
Technical education and youth development

Faculty

Silvio Broli

Genoa Scout and Sports Consultant

He was Head of Youth Academy at Brescia Calcio and worked for several years in the Academy/youth sector of AC Milan. He gained experience in technical training, scouting and development of youth projects also at international level.

Faculty

Alessandro Terzi

Director of Girls’ and Women’s Football Development - U.S. Sassuolo Calcio

Manager sportivo impegnato nello sviluppo del calcio femminile e dei progetti tecnici del Sassuolo. Ha ricoperto ruoli di sviluppo e coordinamento nell'area femminile del club.

Teaching module

First team

Sporting direction and first-team organisation
Corporate and operational club management
Football operations and strategic development
Executive experience in professional football

Faculty

Marco Di Vaio

Sporting Director - Bologna FC 1909

Former professional striker and Italian National Team player, he played for clubs such as Juventus, Bologna, Valencia, Monaco and Montréal. After retirement, he joined Bologna's management, becoming Sporting Director.

Faculty

Andrea Fabris

General Director Corporate - Sassuolo

Manager with over 25 years of experience in professional football. He was Management Director at Vicenza, then General Secretary and Organisational Director of Sassuolo.

Faculty

Marco Benetti

Chief Operations Officer F.C. Internazionale - Football Operations Director

Professional specialised in operational organisation and strategic development of sports organisations. Experience in professional and educational fields.

Teaching module

Team Manager

Squad logistics organisation
Operational coordination before and after matches
Managing internal club relations
Support for coaching staff and management

Faculty

Simone Reposi

Team Manager - Milan Futuro

Teaching module

Youth Academy

Technical and educational development of young players
Grassroots pathway management
Competitive youth area coordination
Methodology and planning in youth academies

Grassroots Activities

Corrado Buonagrazia

Head of Grassroots Activities - Torino Football Club

Grassroots Activities

Luca Romaniello

Head of Grassroots Activities - Padova Calcio

Competitive Activities

Enea Corsi

Head of Technical Area Youth Sector - Modena Calcio

Competitive Activities

Filippo Galli

Trainer, Manager and Technical Consultant

Defender of Milan, with whom he won 17 titles. From 2009 to 2018 he was Head of Youth Sector at AC Milan; subsequently he collaborated with FIGC and Parma in the methodological and training area.

Teaching module

Referee

Laws of the game
Refereeing dynamics
Referee decision making
Relationship between referee, club and institutions

Faculty

Gianluca Renzi

National Referee CAN C-LEGA PRO

Expert in the rules of the game and refereeing dynamics.

Teaching module

SLO

The SLO role in modern football
Managing referee relations
Federal and regulatory rules
Coordination between clubs and sporting institutions

Faculty

Luca Maggiani

Club Referee Manager - Juventus

Former international referee assistant, now a specialist in managing referee relations and regulations within the club.

Teaching module

Club administration

Administrative management of a sports club
Contracts and federal obligations
Internal organisation of the secretariat
Relations with League, Federation and institutions

Faculty

Mirco Zardini

General Secretary - Hellas Verona FC

Sports manager with the qualification of Sporting Director. He grew professionally in the youth sector of Hellas Verona and has been General Secretary of the club since the 2020/21 season.

Faculty

Pasquale Valzano

Former Accademia dello Sport Student 2019-2020 and currently Youth Sector Secretary U.S. Lecce

Faculty

Filippo Biondi

Youth Sector Secretary - Cesena FC

Operational figure in the sports secretariat of Cesena FC, included in the club's organization as Youth Sector Secretary.

Faculty

Niccolò Roncato

General Secretary - Bologna F.C.

Teaching module

Marketing

Marketing for a sports club
Sponsorship and commercial partnerships
Digital marketing and content management
Brand identity and commercial development

Faculty

Claudia Gatti

Head of Marketing and Commercial - Cesena F.C.

Faculty

Francesco Bevilacqua

Marketing Director - A.C. Monza

Faculty

Fulvio Gennari

Project and Game Content Manager - Fantacalcio

Faculty

Paolo Monguzzi

Marketing and Business Development - Juventus F.C.

Faculty

Federico Ciapparoni

Digital Consultant - ACF Fiorentina / Olimpia Milano

Professional in sports digital, with consulting experience for ACF Fiorentina and Olimpia Milano and previous activity in the Tacchettee sports brand.

Teaching module

Sports Journalism

Commentary and television presenting
Digital communication in football
Sports analysis and commentary
Media, TV rights and major international events

Faculty

Marco Cattaneo

Sports Journalist and TV Host - Amazon Prime, DAZN and Sky

Faculty

Alessandro Costacurta

Sky Sport Pundit and Former Italian National Team Player

European and World Champion with Milan, today an analyst and TV commentator.

Faculty

Pierluigi Pardo

Sports Journalist, TV Host and Commentator

Sports commentator and face of Italian football on television, with experience on Stream, Sky, Mediaset and DAZN. He has covered World Cups, Serie A and major national and international football events.

Teaching module

Professional positioning

Employer branding in the sports world
Talent management and career guidance
People experience in sports organisations
Career pathways in football

Faculty

Sabrina Camillucci

HR / People Experience - FC Internazionale Milano

HR professional in the sports sector, engaged in talent management, people experience, employer branding and professional guidance processes within FC Internazionale Milano.

Teaching module

Sports medicine

Athlete physiology and performance
Sports psychology and mental management
Injury prevention and management
Medical support in a professional team

Faculty

Piero Benelli

Sports Medicine Doctor and University Lecturer

Specialist doctor in Sports Medicine, lecturer at the University of Urbino and medical director of sports medicine centres. He has also worked with the Italian national men's volleyball team and VL Basket Pesaro.

Faculty

Luca Siracusa

Sports Psychologist

Teaching module

Communications and press officer

Managing the club press office
Communication with media and newsrooms
Evolution from press room to media house
Professional sports communication

Faculty

Giuseppe Sapienza

Professional Sports Journalist and Communications Manager - Catania F.C.

He has over 25 years of experience in football communications. He has worked in the press offices of Inter, Milan, Barcelona and Genoa, witnessing the evolution from the traditional press office to the sports media house.

Teaching module

Sports law

Italian and international sports regulations
Federal and disciplinary justice
Sports governance
Sports contracts and regulation

Faculty

Paco D’Onofrio

Lawyer and Sports Law Lecturer

Among the leading Italian experts in sports regulations, federal justice and sports governance.

Teaching module

Football Manager

The football management game as an educational tool
Database and data analysis in Football Manager
Virtual scouting and talent evaluation
Tactical and management strategies in the game

Faculty

Alberto Scotta

Italy Football Manager Manager

Teaching module

Match analyst

Video analysis applied to professional football
Analysis tools and performance software
Pre and post-match tactical analysis
The analyst role in a professional team

Faculty

Filippo Lorenzon

Head of Match Analysis Area - FC Internazionale Milano

UEFA Pro Coach and one of the leading Italian experts in match analysis applied to professional football. After experience at SICS and Opta, he held the role of head of match analysis at professional clubs such as Spezia and Bari. Since 2021 he heads the Match Analysis department of Inter's first team and teaches Match Analysis at FIGC's Technical Sector in Coverciano.

Faculty

Simone Baggio

Match Analyst - Palermo FC

Professional Match Analyst with over 20 years of experience in professional football. After his beginnings at SICS, he worked for eight seasons at Hellas Verona and since 2018 has been part of Filippo Inzaghi's technical staff, with experience at Bologna, Benevento, Brescia, Reggina, Salernitana and Pisa. Today he holds the position of Match Analyst at Palermo FC.

9 PROFESSIONS OF THE FUTURE

DISCOVER WHO YOU CAN BECOME

Football Manager

The football manager is a leadership figure with the preparation and skills needed to operate across all areas of the sports world. One of the most sought-after new roles in global football.

Sports Agent

The sports agent represents the athlete, negotiates their performance contract with the club, and receives a percentage of the player's wages in return.

Football Scout

Combining technical expertise and analytical skills, the football scout's role is to identify new talent and plan their integration into professional teams.

Match & Training Analyst

Using specialised software, the Match & Training Analyst studies matches, training sessions, teams and players to provide the information the coach needs to best prepare the Team.

Coach

The coach develops athletes, instilling the technical, tactical and psychological knowledge they need to deliver high-level sporting performances.

Sports Secretary

The Sports Secretary operates under club management, handling operational, accounting and administrative functions on behalf of the football club.

Team Manager

The Team Manager bridges the club and the squad, organising away trips, pre-season camps, athlete participation in events, and coordinating training facility use according to the technical staff's schedules.

Sports Marketer

The sports marketer designs online and offline campaigns for engagement, loyalty, revenue management and ticketing on behalf of the sports club. They also organise events such as Camps, Tournaments, Friendly Matches and Tours.

Press Officer

The press officer manages the relationship between the media and the technical staff, athletes and club management.

Hover over a path to see the details

Football Manager

Sports Agent

Football Scout

Match & Training Analyst

Coach

Sports Secretary

Team Manager

Sports Marketer

Press Officer

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Professional Network

OUR PARTNERS

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PLACEMENT

FROM MASTER TO THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL

The Advanced Specialisation Course is not just training - it is the launchpad for a professional career. Discover the success stories.

SUCCESS STORY

DENIEL AZZOLINI

A.C. Milan Academy Technical Director

SUCCESS STORY

PASQUALE VALZANO

U.S. Lecce Youth Sector Secretary

SUCCESS STORY

LEONARDO LAUDICINA

Torino F.C. Grassroots Activity Secretary

SUCCESS STORY

LEONARDO D'ONOFRIO

Hellas Verona F.C. Football School Secretary

SUCCESS STORY

GIULIO PASTECCHIA

Empoli FC

SUCCESS STORY

ALESSANDRO ROSEO

Kama Sport Team Sales

SUCCESS STORY

FRANCESCO PAOLO PETTINATO

A.C. Perugia U16 Athletic Trainer

SUCCESS STORY

EDOARDO ALUNNO

Torino F.C. Boarding Manager

SUCCESS STORY

MATTEO LORETI

A.C. Milan Academy Kuwait Football Coach

SUCCESS STORY

FRANCESCO CASTELLANI

BCF Brescia Women's Football Asst. Coach

SUCCESS STORY

GABRIELE CARUSO

Main team Match Analyst Spezia Calcio

SUCCESS STORY

DENIEL AZZOLINI

A.C. Milan Academy Technical Director

SUCCESS STORY

PASQUALE VALZANO

U.S. Lecce Youth Sector Secretary

SUCCESS STORY

LEONARDO LAUDICINA

Torino F.C. Grassroots Activity Secretary

SUCCESS STORY

LEONARDO D'ONOFRIO

Hellas Verona F.C. Football School Secretary

SUCCESS STORY

GIULIO PASTECCHIA

Empoli FC

SUCCESS STORY

ALESSANDRO ROSEO

Kama Sport Team Sales

SUCCESS STORY

FRANCESCO PAOLO PETTINATO

A.C. Perugia U16 Athletic Trainer

SUCCESS STORY

EDOARDO ALUNNO

Torino F.C. Boarding Manager

SUCCESS STORY

MATTEO LORETI

A.C. Milan Academy Kuwait Football Coach

SUCCESS STORY

FRANCESCO CASTELLANI

BCF Brescia Women's Football Asst. Coach

SUCCESS STORY

GABRIELE CARUSO

Main team Match Analyst Spezia Calcio

SUCCESS STORY

DENIEL AZZOLINI

A.C. Milan Academy Technical Director

SUCCESS STORY

PASQUALE VALZANO

U.S. Lecce Youth Sector Secretary

SUCCESS STORY

LEONARDO LAUDICINA

Torino F.C. Grassroots Activity Secretary

SUCCESS STORY

LEONARDO D'ONOFRIO

Hellas Verona F.C. Football School Secretary

SUCCESS STORY

GIULIO PASTECCHIA

Empoli FC

SUCCESS STORY

ALESSANDRO ROSEO

Kama Sport Team Sales

SUCCESS STORY

FRANCESCO PAOLO PETTINATO

A.C. Perugia U16 Athletic Trainer

SUCCESS STORY

EDOARDO ALUNNO

Torino F.C. Boarding Manager

SUCCESS STORY

MATTEO LORETI

A.C. Milan Academy Kuwait Football Coach

SUCCESS STORY

FRANCESCO CASTELLANI

BCF Brescia Women's Football Asst. Coach

SUCCESS STORY

GABRIELE CARUSO

Main team Match Analyst Spezia Calcio

SUCCESS STORY

DENIEL AZZOLINI

A.C. Milan Academy Technical Director

SUCCESS STORY

PASQUALE VALZANO

U.S. Lecce Youth Sector Secretary

SUCCESS STORY

LEONARDO LAUDICINA

Torino F.C. Grassroots Activity Secretary

SUCCESS STORY

LEONARDO D'ONOFRIO

Hellas Verona F.C. Football School Secretary

SUCCESS STORY

GIULIO PASTECCHIA

Empoli FC

SUCCESS STORY

ALESSANDRO ROSEO

Kama Sport Team Sales

SUCCESS STORY

FRANCESCO PAOLO PETTINATO

A.C. Perugia U16 Athletic Trainer

SUCCESS STORY

EDOARDO ALUNNO

Torino F.C. Boarding Manager

SUCCESS STORY

MATTEO LORETI

A.C. Milan Academy Kuwait Football Coach

SUCCESS STORY

FRANCESCO CASTELLANI

BCF Brescia Women's Football Asst. Coach

SUCCESS STORY

GABRIELE CARUSO

Main team Match Analyst Spezia Calcio

IMMERSIVE LEARNING

LIVE FOOTBALL FROM THE INSIDE

The Advanced Specialisation Course goes beyond theory. Through visits and workshops at professional clubs, we offer a concrete immersion in the elite football network.

HELLAS VERONA F.C.

A.C. MILAN

COVERCIANO

VENEZIA F.C.

EMPOLI F.C.

BUFFON

U.S. SASSUOLO

PESCARA CALCIO

A.C. MILAN

SUDTIROL

PARMA CALCIO 1913

TORINO F.C.

K-SPORT

Requirements

Admission

The course is open to enthusiasts and anyone who wants to build a career in football management. The initial step is simple to help us get to know you better.

Upper secondary school diploma
Minimum age 18 years
Passion for the football world and strong motivation

Process

How to get started

SUBMIT APPLICATION

Fill in the form

PRE-SELECTION

Our staff evaluates your profile

INTERVIEW

Brief introductory phone interview

ADMISSION

Receive confirmation and access the course

Investment Planning

Single Payment

At the time of enrolment

€ 9.000

Instalment Payment

€ 1,500 all'iscrizione
€ 1,500 entro 30 giorni
8 rate da € 1,000

€ 11.000

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