Sports Law meets the football industry in Rome

IASL president Majed Garoub on the key debates ahead of the association’s 27th Congress.

From December 10 to 13, the International Association for Sports Law will host its 27th congress in Rome. The event will feature 39 speakers between experts, legal professionals, and sports executives reuniting at the Foro Italico University. Legalcommunity MENA interviewed the Association’s president, Majed Garoub (pictured), ahead of the event.

What will be the main theme of this year’s edition?

The main theme this year is the broader football industry. We are going to discuss everything related to the business of football, including value-creation, fan engagement, investment, sponsorship, media, arbitration, stadium management, data protection, women’s football. We’ll also address fashion related matters, with a specific focus on sportswear.

Which specific topics are you most interested in exploring, and which do you expect will spark the most debate?

The first session — economics and business of the World Cups 2026, 2030, and 2034 — is going to be one of the most interesting. Just a few days ago in Washington the groups for the next World Cup in America, Mexico and Canada have been defined. Spain, Portugal and Morocco will host the following edition, and 2034 will be Saudi Arabia’s moment. These types of competitions are an absolute priority for FIFA in terms of revenue,  and they encompass many different areas of development, such as broadcasting rights and fan engagement.

How is the role of the athlete becoming increasingly central in the legal discussions surrounding these themes?

Modern athletes influence areas well beyond their sporting activities. They have whole set of obligations with respect to TV  and media rights for example. Moreover, they have a whole set of rights to be aware of. Business-wise, we came to a point where bringing value to your club  doesn’t limit to scoring a decisive goal. If we take a look at Saudi Arabia’s case, a figure like Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t just a player at Al-Nassr; he represents an integral part of the Saudi project for sport, and he’s aware of his obligations as such.

Given the significant investments made in the region, particularly in football, how do you see the role of legal professionals evolving in the industry?

Definitely; I believe legal professionals represent the second most-important dimension in the industry, apart from the game itself and its actors. Coaches and players are, of course, the main “asset”. However, lawyers are involved in so many different aspects of the football ecosystem. They supports specific players, coaches, associations, clubs. Their expertise also spans TV rights and sponsorship agreements. As the industry becomes bigger, global, and more valuable, the legal dimension gains significant importance.

Are there specific additional competencies that legal professionals in the sports sector will need to develop moving forward?

Working as a sports lawyer is not easy. You might have to perform under tight pressure, running against time to conclude your case within a few days before the next match. The sports world in general, but football in particular, is a very public matter; wins and losses gets magnified by that scrutiny, so you have to be aware of those extremes.

With so many different topics being discussed at the event, what overarching threads do you see emerging?

Protecting athletes’ rights. As part of the legal community, the International Association for Sport Law is truly focused on ethics and legal principles. In that sense, we want to avoid at all cost the concept of a double standard when addressing legal matters and decisions in football. Sport is a universal language, so our goal is to isolate it from external dynamics that might influence its neutrality.