UCFB

UCFB (University Campus of Football Business) is a higher education institution offering undergraduate and postgraduate university degrees and executive education in the football and wider sports industries. UCFB is a college of the University of East London.

UCFB became the world's first higher education institution with university degrees in the football and sports industry when it was opened at Burnley F.C.'s Turf Moor in 2011.^[1]

UCFB's first campus, UCFB Burnley, opened in 2011 at Burnley Football Club.^[2][3] Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited UCFB Burnley^[4] during their tour of Turf Moor and Burnley F.C. as part of the Jubilee Celebrations.^[5]

In 2014, UCFB expanded and opened its second campus, UCFB Wembley,^[3][6] with Wembley Stadium at the heart of the campus.^[7]

UCFB opened a flagship campus based in and around the Etihad Stadium in 2016. The UCFB Etihad Campus, which replaced UCFB Burnley, facilities included access to sporting facilities such as the Manchester Regional Arena and the National Basketball Performance Centre.

The Etihad Campus was the Manchester home of UCFB until the 2023-24 academic year, when the campus expanded across Greater Manchester, and was renamed 'UCFB Manchester Campus.' The expansion involved moving media students to MediaCityUK, and basing students on coaching courses at Curzon Ashton FC's Tameside Stadium, as well as new facilities in Manchester, Salford, Trafford and Tameside.

In addition to the two UK campuses, UCFB also has a campus in the United States of America, based at the Chase Stadium in Miami, Florida, home of Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF. UCFB also hosts annual global summits in Miami, as well as New York City, Toronto and Melbourne. Its global networking centres are found in Singapore, Shanghai, Dubai and Mumbai.

In July 2020, UCFB launched the Global Institute of Sport (GIS),^[8] furthering UCFB's educational breadth to postgraduate studies, as well as undergraduate degrees.

The institute offers Master's degree programmes, also relating to the football and wider sports industry, with campuses and global hubs in Toronto, New York City, Miami and Melbourne, as well as the two UK-based campuses.

In 2016 UCFB acquired a shareholding in scholarship agency FirstPoint USA.^[9]

In June 2024, the Global Institute of Sport launched its first solely GIS campus in Brussels, based at Lotto Park, the home of Belgian Pro League side RSC Anderlecht, alongside Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Later that month, a partnership with The Player Dubai to launch The Player Education Programmes, offering training and education for footballers of all levels and aspiring sports industry experts in Dubai.

UCFB offers undergraduate degree courses relating to the football and wider sports industry, including:

• BA (Hons) Football Business
• BA (Hons) Football Business and Finance
• BA (Hons) Football Business and Marketing
• BA (Hons) Football Business and Media
• BA (Hons) Football Coaching
• BA (Hons) Football Coaching and Management
• BA (Hons) International Football Business
• BA (Hons) Football Coaching and Talent Development
• BA (Hons) Multimedia Sports Journalism
• BA (Hons) Physical Education
• BSc (Hons) Sport Psychology
• BA (Hons) Sports Business & Coaching
• BA (Hons) Sports Business & Sports Broadcasting
• BA (Hons) Sports Business & Sports Law
• BSc Sports Coaching Science
• BA (Hons) Sports Management
• BA (Hons) Stadium & Events Management
• Cert HE in Football Development

UCFB also offers Master's degree courses, primarily focused on the global sports industry, including:

• MSc Football Business
• MSc Football Coaching & Analysis
• MSc Football Communications & Digital Marketing
• MSc International Sport Management
• MSc Performance Analysis in Football

UCFB added executive education courses to their undergraduate and postgraduate studies, such as:

• CEO of a Sports Organisation
• MSc Sports Directorship

In addition, the professional qualification courses the institution started offering include:

• The Inclusive Leadership in Football Award
• The Certificate in Elite Player Care and Wellbeing
• Public Speaking & Presentation Skills
• Professional Media Training
• The Certificate in the Business of Australian Football
• Essentials of Soccer Business & Leadership
• UCFB Level 1 Award in Assistant Coaching
• UCFB Level 2 Award in Sport Coaching

UCFB's elite football academies based at UCFB's campuses in Manchester and Wembley are tailored for elite-level footballers who have recently been released from professional football clubs, or for those that possess an ability to play at a higher level.

The academies allow students to combine working within a professional football environment, led by UEFA-qualified coaches, with a place on one of UCFB and GIS' unique degrees in football or sport.

UCFB Academy, Manchester is available to male students and is based at UCFB Etihad Campus, whilst UCFB Academy, Wembley is located at UCFB Wembley Campus.^[10]

In 2022, UCFB Wembley launched the Wembley Basketball Academy, in partnership with the local team London Elite Basketball, which was designed for aspiring young basketball professionals in the UK to study alongside training, and as an effort to help grow the sport in the UK.

The UCFB's Employability and Career Planning programme includes its Executive Guest Speaker Series and work experience opportunities.

Previous guest speakers to UCFB have included Gareth Southgate, Harry Redknapp, Guillem Balague, Gabby Logan, Chris Hughton, George Cohen, Mauricio Pochettino, Brendan Rodgers and Steve McClaren.

Through industry partners, including the National League and multiple Football League clubs, UCFB students are highly regarded across the British football industry for gaining skills and knowledge on work experience placement opportunities alongside their degree courses.

The UCFB Strategic Leadership and Management Programme, another aspect of the Employment & Career Planning programme, is led by Neil Doncaster, Chief Executive of the Scottish Professional Football League.

UCFB students also have the opportunity to work towards a number of internal and external additional qualifications relevant to the industry. These include FA Coaching certificates, STATS (formerly Prozone Performance Analysis) and foreign language qualifications.

In 2018, UCFB chairman and founder Brendan Flood launched the UCFB Sports Entrepreneurship Award Scheme, awarding multiple entrepreneurial students an amount of up to £5,000 each year for their sports business-related ideas. Of the award, Flood said: "It is a truly unique opportunity for our students to engage their minds and receive invaluable support for their sports business ideas."

• "Degree programmes at UCFB". UCFB.
• "The virtual tour of UCFB's campuses at Wembley Stadium, London, Etihad Stadium, Manchester and Turf Moor, Burnley Football Club". UCFB.
• Brown, Jonathan (9 December 2010). "Lessons in the beautiful game: True fanatics can now enroll in a degree in football". Independent.