First players to graduate University of Portsmouth and PFA course

Professional football players have become the first to graduate with qualifications specifically designed for the football industry.

83 students successfully graduated from Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas through an innovative partnership between the University of Portsmouth and the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) which launched two years ago. 

The PFA Business School programmes tackle one of football's biggest challenges; preparing players for life after their relatively short sporting careers end. With the average professional football career lasting just eight years, these qualifications provide players with concrete skills for a range of roles in football business management.

Unlike traditional academic courses, the programmes are taught by industry insiders who have worked at the highest levels of football. The teaching team includes executives from 50 top clubs across 13 countries, including AS Roma, Sevilla FC, AC Milan, Atlanta United and Red Bull Leipzig, offering students direct access to real-world expertise from the global football industry.

They were also delivered through a flexible format that accommodates the demanding schedule of professional football, combining online learning with intensive weekend seminars.

The graduation ceremony took place on 15 September at The Emirates Stadium in London, home of Arsenal Football Club. Graduates included Newcastle United and DR Congo international Yoane Wissa, Manchester City’s former treble-winning captain, İlkay Gündoğan, Aston Villa and England player Lucy Staniforth, Tottenham and Wales defender Ben Davies, Wrexham and Wales forward Kieffer Moore, and Former Newcastle/Norwich and Dutch international keeper Tim Krul.

Dr Neil Weston, Associate Dean (Global Engagement and Education Partnerships) in the University's Faculty of Science and Health, attended the event. He said: “This marks a truly historic moment as we celebrate our first graduates from this exciting partnership with the PFA. These courses allow current and former players the opportunity to develop new knowledge, skills and industry connections to progress into a range of careers within the football industry and beyond. 

“Experts from right across the football industry deliver on these courses to provide a unique, high quality and real world learning experience for these students. I am hugely impressed by the dedication and commitment of the students given their very busy footballing lives. We wish the graduates every success as they seek to move into new careers in the football industry following the successful completion of their course.”

The graduates have completed programmes in areas including Global Football Business Management, Global Football Sports Directorship, Psychology, Emotional Intelligence and Leadership, and EDI Directorship in Sports Organisations.

Phil Jones, former Manchester United and England defender and PFA Business School graduate, attended the inaugural graduation event. He said: “When I finished playing, I asked myself: ‘Well, what do I do now?’. I like the coaching side of the game, and I’m still really ambitious about that, but I needed something else as well. This gave me a focus which is what I needed at the time.

“I reached out to the PFA when I heard about the course and it’s something that I was passionate about doing; something I could get my teeth into. The technical aspects of the sporting directorship role I really admire, and maybe in the future it’s a role that I’d like to fill.”

Football clubs increasingly seek former players with formal business training for roles in recruitment, academy management, commercial operations, and media relations. The qualifications provide players with the credentials and knowledge to compete for these positions alongside traditional business graduates. 

Alejandro Cardenas, Director of the PFA Business School, said: “Football is a multi-billion pound global industry, but too many players reach the end of their careers unprepared for what comes next. These graduates are pioneering a new approach - using their playing years to build expertise that will serve them throughout their lives. Our partnership with the University of Portsmouth has been instrumental in delivering these world-class qualifications.”

The University of Portsmouth has established itself as a key player in professional football education. The institution already validates Premier League academy management qualifications and works closely with Portsmouth Football Club on research and development initiatives.

This network of football partnerships reflects the University's unique position in the sport. The School of Psychology, Sport and Health Sciences conducts world-leading research, with 95 per cent of its work rated as world-leading or internationally excellent in the latest national assessment. This research directly informs both the academic programmes and practical applications in professional football.

Meanwhile, the University's collaboration with Portsmouth Football Club provides students and researchers with access to a professional football environment, enabling real-world testing of sports science innovations and business strategies.

The success of this first graduation cohort paves the way for future intakes, with the PFA Business School continuing to accept applications from professional players seeking to enhance their career prospects and develop new skills for their future beyond playing.

Header image: PFA Business School graduation. Photography: Alex Morton