Football Law 2026
ABOUT
The LawInSport Football Law 2026 conference will be held in London, on the 12th & 13 May 2026 with presenting partners Linklaters.
Day One, 12th May, will be held at Linklaters, 20 Ropemaker Street, London, EC2Y 9AR, and Day Two, 13th May will be held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 782 High Road, London, N17 0BX.
The conference provides a professional forum to meet and develop meaningful relationships with colleagues working in the sector.
Who Should Attend
- Sports executives and administrators (Club Secretaries, CEOs, CFOs, Directors, etc)
- In-house counsel working at clubs, federations, sponsors, media companies, agencies
- Agents
- Athletes and coaches
- Professional services (lawyers, accountants consultants, tax advisers, wealth managers, etc)
- Academics and students (please note there is a limited number of places for students)
In short, if you would like to gain a better understanding of the most important legal issues that will impact football, then this conference will be an invaluable resource and one you will not want to miss.
Interactive Panel Discussions
The conference provides attendees with two full days of interactive panel discussions, with world leading experts discussing the contemporary legal issues impacting football.
Professional Development & Knowledge Sharing
Not only will attendees partake in cutting-edge panel discussions, they will also receive a complimentary conference magazine. Attendees will therefore have access to detailed reference materials that will help them when faced with legal issues in their work or studies.
Networking
LawInSport events are renowned for their unparalleled networking opportunities, and this will be a theme that continues at this year’s Football Law Conference. With over 6 hours of networking and two drinks receptions, attendees can take advantage of dedicated time to meet with colleagues in the sector in a friendly and welcoming environment.
Private Work Space
We understand that with all the best intentions to attend every session over the two days, there will be times when attendees may need to check into work or take calls...the work of lawyers and executives never stops!
Therefore to give attendees the best opportunity to be present and make the most of the conference, we have allocated a private room to work in and take calls should you need to. You will never have to be far from the action and be able to take advantage of all the networking opportunities and participate in the conference as much as possible.
CPD/CLE
The Football Law Conference provides 7 hours of self-certified continuing professional development/continuing legal education.
Members Discount
Institutional Members, Plus Yearly and monthly (with 3 or more months membership) members benefit from a £100 discount on full price tickets. (Discounts are applied at the time of purchase, provided you are signed into your account).
Each attendee only needs to register once for the Conference and they will receive registration details for each session in advance of the event. Discounts are applied automatically during the registration and checkout. Please note that all tickets are non-refundable.
Sports Organisations Institutional Members Tickets
If you work at a sports organisation with LawInsport Institutional Membership, you are entitled to complimentary registration at all LawInSport events. This benefit reflects our commitment to fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing across the industry. If you would like more than 3 attendees from one organisation to attend please email
Group Tickets
If 4 or more colleagues from your organisation would like to attend and benefit from a group discount, please email
Please note, group tickets are designed specifically with the demands of sports organisations and government departments in mind. These tickets allow for people within sports organisations to share and invite colleagues who may otherwise not be able to attend, either due to time or cost restrictions to benefit from the Football Law Conference.
Athlete Tickets
Full-Time Current Athlete & Esports Players/Managers/Coaches = FREE.
If you represent your country at the Olympics and Paralympics or you are a full-time professional athlete, manager or coach, please email
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AGENDA
Agenda & Topics
Below is the provisional agenda, however please note this is subject to change.
DAY 1 (Tuesday, 12th May)
(Linklaters: 20 Ropemaker Street, London, EC2Y 9AR)
15:00 - 16:00: Registration & Networking
16:00 - 16:40: Best Practice & Common Mistakes in Football Disputes
This session will look at best practice and common mistakes in football when preparing for and representing at disciplinary hearings and arbitrations.
- Preparing written submission
- Oral advocacy
- Using expert witnesses
- Arbitration & Disciplinary Hearings
Speakers:
- Kwadjo Adjepong, Lawyer and Arbitration Judge, CAS
16:50 - 17:30: Cyber security, AI & Commercialisation of Data
This session will explore:
- Current trends in cyber security attacks
- How to respond to a cyber breach
- Commercial risk and opportunities with the application of AI and exploitation of data
Speakers:
- Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport (Moderator)
- Helena Brown, Partner & Head of Data, Addleshaw Goddard
- Armin Lambertz, Managing Associate, Linklaters
- Henry Elkington, Managing Associate, Linklaters
17:30 -18:10: Networking & Refreshments
18:10 - 18:50: Build a successful career in football
In this session our expert panel will discuss how to build a successful career in football and current recruitment trends. The panel will discuss:
- Do's & don’ts
- Building professional networks
- Managing client & stakeholders relationships
- Recruitment trends for football clubs
Speakers:
- Gabriella Lowe, COO & Head of Women's Sport (Moderator)
- James Hill, General Counsel, Norwich City Football Club
- Felix Majani, Managing Partner, Majani Sports Advocates, and Former Director of Legal Affairs, CAF
- John Cullen, Director of Client Services & Recruitment, LawInSport
- Georgina King, Managing Associate, Linklaters
18:50 - 20:30: Networking Reception
DAY 2 (Wednesday, 13th May)
(Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 782 High Road, London, N17 0BX)
08:30 - 10:00: Registration & Networking
10:00 - 10:05: Welcome & Opening Remarks
10:05 - 10:55: Navigating Financial Regulations
Our expert panel will discuss:
- Key changes to financial regulations in football
- What steps clubs can take to avoid penalties and sanctions
- Implications of the requirements of the Independent Regulator of Football regime
Speakers:
- Philip Scott, Partner, Walker Morris
- Adam Crockett, Former Senior Adviser to the Chair and CEO, The Independent Football Regulator
- Christina Philippou, Associate Professor in Accounting and Sport Finance, University of Portsmouth
- Rob Dickinson, Manager, Sports Business Group, Deloitte, and former Senior Club Financial Governance Manager, EFL
- Ashley Churchman, Director, Alvarez & Marsal
11:00 - 11:50: The Evolution of Multi-club Ownership & Investment Trends
This session will explore:
- Practical implications of multi-club ownership models in men’s and women's football
- Current investments trends
- Regulatory concerns for MCO owners and Federations
Speakers:
- Felix Schaaf, Senior Associate, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, (Moderator)
- Jeff O’Brien, Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary, Kynisca
- Marie-Anne Lindhardt, Partner, MAQS
- Jon Walters, Partner, Northridge
11:50 - 12:15: Coffee Break & Networking
12:15 - 12:50: Lessons from Key Cases in Football
This session will highlight the most important football cases of the last 12 months and draw out practical lessons learned from these cases.
Speakers:
- Thomas Horton, Barrister, 39 Essex Chambers
- Nick de Marco KC, Barrister, Blackstone Chambers
12:55 - 13:15: Interview with Pieter Demeulenaere, Legal Manager, Belgian Pro League
In this interview our guest speaker will discuss the current changes to the Belgian Pro League and the opportunities and challenges that come with reformatting their competitions.
13:15 - 14:30: Lunch
14:30 - 14:40: (Support Dogs Presentation)
14:40 - 15:30: Managing the impact of Online Abuse & Safeguarding Risks
With online abuse on the rise, and the impact this has on individuals and team performances, this panel, drawing on real cases, will discuss:
- Personal impact on playing and non-playing staff and those associated across an organisation
- Legal and practical steps that can be taken to protect players and staff
- How to work with law enforcement and social media companies to combat this
- What further action can be taken by the football community and wider stakeholders
Speakers:
- Lydia Banerjee, Barrister, Littleton Chambers (Moderator)
- Eni Aluko MBE, Former Professional Footballer, Football Executive, Broadcaster & Investor, Mercury13
- Katie Reed, General Counsel, Tottenham Hotspur F.C
- Jonathan Hirshler, Co-Founder & CEO, Signify
- Matt Himsworth, Director, B5 Consultancy
15:35 - 16:35: Key Developments in Player & Manager Contracts
Our expert panel will discuss:
- Changes to international recruitment of players & managers
- Implication of changes to the Employment Law Act for clubs
- Upcoming changes to FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) and the impact of Diarra ECJ case
Speakers:
- Willem-Alexander Devlies, Managing Associate, Atfield
- Stephen O’Flaherty, Partner, Lewis Silkin
- Carol Couse, Partner, Mills & Reeve
- Steven Flynn, Barrister, Littleton Chambers
16:35 - 17:00: Coffee Break & Networking
17:00 - 17:15: Tackling Counterfeit Goods in Football
In this session, John Weston will present on how sports organisations can tackle dealing with counterfeit goods and the strategies they should in have in place to deal with these issues.
Speakers:
- John Weston, IA Director, Stobbs
17:15 - 17:50: New Commercial Models & Trends
In this session our expert panel will discuss:
- Regulatory changes impacting commercial revenues for clubs
- New and innovative approaches to increasing revenue streams for clubs
- How players are exploiting new commercial opportunities
- Registering Motion Marks, such as Cole Palmer’s celebration
Speakers:
- Matt Phillips, Partner, Reed Smith, and former General Counsel, Leicester City F.C (Moderator)
- Abi Carpenter, Senior Associate, Greenberg Traurig, and former Business Affairs Executive, CAA Sports
- Alex Newman, Partner & Head of IP, Mills & Reeve
- Stephanie Kelly, Solicitor, Celtic F.C.
- Aaron Dixon, Managing Counsel, Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
17:50 - 17:55: Closing Remarks
18:00 - 20:00: Drinks Reception
ATTENDING ORGANISATIONS
Attending Organisations
Football Clubs & Sports Organisations
- Aberdeen FC
- Barnet FC
- Belgian Pro League
- Brentford FC
- Brighton & Hove Albion FC
- Brøndbyernes IF
- Celtic FC
- Chelsea FC
- City Football Group
- Crystal Palace FC
- EFL
- FC Shakhtar Donetsk
- Flint Town United
- Fulham FC
- Grimsby Town FC
- Ipswich Town FC
- Kidderminster Harriers FC
- Leicester City FC
- London Bees FC
- London City Lionesses
- Middlesbrough FC
- Milton Keynes Dons FC
- National Football League (NFL)
- NK Lokomotiva Zagreb
- Norwich City FC
- Portsmouth FC
- Premier League
- Rangers FC
- Stadium Youth Football Club
- Stevenage FC
- Swansea City FC
- The Hibernian Football Club Limited
- The Independent Football Regulator
- Tottenham Hotspur FC
- Tranmere Rovers FC
Agencies, Solution Providers & Consultants
- B5 Consultancy
- BDO Ltd (Switzerland)
- CAA
- Deloitte
- Ernst & Young LLP
- GRC Group
- House of One
- Kynisca Sports Management
- Law Debenture
- Legora
- Mintz Group
- Sela Global International
- Signify
- Sport Psychology Ltd
- Sport Resolutions
- TransferRoom
- Wordsmith AI
Law Firms & Chambers
- 1EC
- 39 Essex Chambers
- Addleshaw Goddard
- Alvarez & Marsal
- Antas da Cunha Ecija & Associados
- Atfield
- Bates Wells
- BCL Solicitors LLP
- Blackstone Chambers
- Boodle Hatfield
- Burness Paull LLP
- CG Professional
- Corker Binning
- Crowell & Moring
- Dentons
- DLA Piper
- Ecija & Asociados Abogados
- Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
- Greenberg Traurig
- Harbottle & Lewis
- HortenDAHL Lawfirm
- Hugh James
- Kingsley Napley
- Level Law
- LEVEL
- Lewis Silkin
- Littleton Chambers
- MAQS
- Matrix Chambers
- Mills & Reeve
- Morgan Sports Law
- Northridge
- Onside Law
- Powell Gilbert
- PowerPlay
- Proskauer
- Reed Smith
- Sheridans
- Simkins
- Stevens & Bolton LLP
- Taylor Wessing LLP
- Thackray Williams
- TLT LLP
- Walker Morris
- Wiggin
- Wordley Partnership
Academic
- Harvard Law School
- ISDE
- Kings College London
- UCFB
- University of Law
- University of Portsmouth
TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATION
Day One Venue - Linklaters is located close to Liverpool Street Station and Moorgate, with plenty of choice of hotels in the area. For a detailed guide with key information about facilities and access arrangements, see here.
Day Two Venue - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The easiest way to travel is by train from Central London, with the Stadium served by four train stations:
- White Hart Lane - Approx. 5 minute walk - that's more or less 500 steps for those of you with fitness apps. This station is fully accessible.
- Northumberland Park - Approx. 10 minute walk to the Stadium or 1,000 steps.
- Tottenham Hale - Approx. 25 minute walk to the Stadium or 2,500 steps
- Seven Sisters - Approx. 30 minute walk to the Stadium or 3,000 steps.
For full details on the various options, please follow this link,
BOOK TICKETS
TICKETS
| Professional Services Lawyers, accountants, tax advisors, consultants, etc - Tier 1 |
£696 |
|
Sports Professionals & Academics
Sport executives & administrators, in-house counsel and agents, academics and students - Tier 2
|
£370 |
|
Sports Professionals - Institutional Member Ticket
Institutional Members from Sports Organisations
|
FREE |
| Former & current elite pro athletes incl. Olympians & Paralympians - Tier 3 |
FREE |
Should you have any issues registering your tickets please email
Discount codes
Athletes wishing to register for a Tier 3 ticket should email
Event Properties
| Event Date | 12-05-2026 15:30 |
| Event End Date | 13-05-2026 20:00 |
| Location | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium |
Ticket Information
| Ticket Type | Price |
|---|---|
|
Professional Services Lawyers, accountants, tax advisors, consultants, etc |
£696.00 |
|
Sports Professionals & Academics Sport executives & administrators, in-house counsel, agents, academics & full time students |
£370.00 |
|
Sports Professionals - LawInSport Institutional Member Ticket For LawInSport Institutional members from Sports Organisations |
£0.00 |
|
Athlete & Esports Players/Managers/Coaches Former & current professional Athlete & Esports Players/Managers/Coaches |
£0.00 |
