Head of FIFA Disability-Football Tournaments

As the organiser of some of the biggest and most iconic sport events in the world, we lead the way in the sport and event industry. Join the team and support us on our mission.

FIFA is establishing a dedicated Disability-Football Tournaments function within Event Operations to develop and deliver new global competitions for disability-football athletes.
As Head of FIFA Disability-Football Tournaments, you will shape the strategic and operational foundations of the inaugural tournament and future editions, driving an inclusive competition framework, athlete experience and accessibility model in collaboration with internal and external experts.

THE POSITION

These are your key tasks:

• Strategy & concept development: Define the vision, scope and delivery model of FIFA Disability-Football Tournaments, translating this into a clear multi-year roadmap aligned with the global disability football landscape.
• Discipline framework: Lead the assessment and selection of competition disciplines, leveraging international best practice and expert input across formats such as blind football, amputee football, Cerebral Palsy football, deaf football, intellectual disability football and powerchair football.
• Competition design: In collaboration with FIFA Competitions and technical experts, develop the competition format, qualification system, eligibility principles, classification approach, regulations, team services and match operations standards.
• Operational delivery: Define and implement the overall event delivery model, including roles and responsibilities across FIFA, Local Organising Committees and venues, and oversee end-to-end planning and delivery across all operational areas.
• Athlete-centred standards: Ensure a world-class, inclusive tournament experience, delivering safe, accessible and high-quality conditions for elite athletes, teams, officials and support staff.
• Stakeholder leadership: Build and manage strong relationships with international federations, disability sport organisations, Member Associations, hosts and athlete representatives.
• Governance & decision-making: Establish clear governance structures, milestones, reporting cadence and escalation processes to support effective decision-making at senior level.
• Team leadership: Build and lead a specialised project team, defining capabilities and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration and inclusion.
• Budget & resources: Develop and manage budgets, procurement strategies and resource planning for both project setup and tournament delivery.
• Accessibility & inclusion by design: Integrate accessibility, safeguarding, human rights, anti-discrimination and sustainability principles into all aspects of the event from the outset.
• Readiness & testing: Oversee readiness planning, test events and operational simulations to ensure successful tournament delivery.
• Legacy & future editions: Establish scalable standards, knowledge management, post-event review processes and recommendations for future editions and potential integration into FIFA’s broader competition portfolio.
  

YOUR PROFILE

We work hard at FIFA.
We are dedicated, ambitious and innovative.
And we respect our values. Always.
For all roles, we seek talented people with an entrepreneurial spirit and a global mindset.
The specific competencies we require for this position are:

• Proven experience (ideally 10+ years) in disability sport, Paralympic sport or adaptive international sport environments, with a strong understanding of disability classification systems
• Track record in designing or delivering major international multi-sport events and building new functions from concept to execution
• Strong international credibility, with the ability to engage effectively with federations, NGOs, delivery partners and diverse stakeholder groups
• Strategic, pragmatic and delivery-focused mindset, with the confidence to challenge assumptions and influence decision-making at all levels
• Inclusive leadership style, high cultural awareness and strong stakeholder empathy
• Ability to lead cross-functional, multicultural teams and collaborate across organisational boundaries
• High degree of autonomy, accountability and resilience, with sound judgement under pressure
• Strong organisational skills, including experience managing complex budgets and resource planning
• Excellent attention to detail combined with the ability to maintain a clear strategic overview
• Clear, structured and diplomatic communicator, able to adapt messaging across different audiences
• Strong alignment with principles of equality, inclusion and accessibility, with a passion for sport and its broader impact
• University degree in Sports Management, Disability Studies, Business or a related field; additional qualifications in disability sport, accessibility, safeguarding or project/programme management are highly valued
• Fluent in English; additional languages such as French, Spanish or German are a strong asset
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and familiar with project management and collaboration tools
• Zurich-based role with significant international travel, including extended periods during planning and tournament delivery phases