How to Step into the Sports Industry

How to Step into the Sports Industry is a one-week sports business programme in Lisbon, run by Golpath Institute. It gives you a real look at the sports industry beyond agents and lawyers — covering entrepreneurship, sports tech, club management and organisational leadership — and puts you in front of the people building careers in those areas, so you can work out where you fit.

The week is built around five career profiles, each explored as a "day in the life":

- **Sports entrepreneur or investor:** building or backing ventures, from pitching an idea to funding it - **Athlete manager:** handling contracts, schedules, and an athlete's time and image - **Media expert:** storytelling, content and coverage of the business side of sport - **Sports tech and data specialist:** building the tools and data that shape team performance - **Sports organisation leader:** running an organisation, a major event or a mission-driven initiative

On the final day you reflect on the week, map where you want to be in 3–5 years and the first steps to get there, and receive mentoring and feedback from the team.

Sessions and practical workshops with case studies, role-plays and exercises; visits to clubs and sports organisations in Lisbon; networking and social activities; a personal pathway session; and a Golpath Institute certificate of participation awarded at the closing session. Travel, accommodation and meals are not included; Golpath can help arrange accommodation.

Speakers from previous editions include Guilherme Müller (General Manager, Benfica Campus), Lourenço Cardoso Menezes (International Business Manager, SL Benfica) and Cindy Santos (TV Host and Sports Journalist, Sporting CP). The 2027 line-up will be announced soon.

Students and early-career people curious about the business side of sport, people who want to work in sport but don't see themselves as agents or lawyers, and professionals considering a move into sport from another industry. No prior sport experience is required.

The next intake runs from 21 to 25 June 2027, in person in Lisbon. It is taught in English (B2 minimum) and open to participants aged 18+. The programme fee is €1,990 including VAT, with an early-bird rate of €1,490 if booked by 31 December 2026. You can pay in one payment, in two instalments, or reserve your place with €500 to lock in the early-bird price.

Golpath Institute runs short, practical sports education programmes in Lisbon. All programmes sit under Berlin Sports, an international sports agency founded in 2012 that has worked with more than 1,100 football clubs across 100+ countries, and participants get direct access to that network. Golpath Institute grew out of the Berlin Sports summer school in Lisbon, now in its third edition.