Global and Graduate Programs

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will mark a historic moment in global sport: a tri-national tournament hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Coinciding with the anniversary of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), this event offers a timely platform to examine the intersection of sports law, international trade, cross-border governance, and regional cooperation in North America.

This symposium welcomes international participation from legal scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and interdisciplinary thinkers to explore how sport--particularly mega-events like the World Cup--can serve as a catalyst for regional integration, legal innovation, and institutional collaboration.

We invite original submissions addressing (but not limited to) the following themes:

I. Legal and Institutional Frameworks

• Cross-border governance and regulatory alignment
• Sports diplomacy and the rule of law
• Institutional cooperation and treaty implementation (e.g., USMCA, MOUs)
• Compliance, contracting, agency, and legal infrastructure in sport

II. Trade, Labor, and Mobility

• USMCA’s impact on sports-related trade and labor
• Immigration, visas, and athlete mobility across North America
• Economic and legal implications of talent and workforce movement

III. Human Rights, Legacy, and Sustainability

• Human rights obligations and protections in mega-events
• ESG frameworks and legacy planning in the lifecycle of FIFA 2026
• Community impact and equitable development

IV. Integrity, Ethics, and Dispute Resolution

• Anti-doping, match-fixing, corruption, and safeguarding
• Dispute resolution and arbitration in international sport
• Legal harmonization of ethics and compliance regimes under USMCA

V. Technology, Media, and Cybersecurity

• Intellectual property and media rights in a North American context
• Cross-border data protection, cybersecurity, and AI governance
• Digital rights and regulatory gaps among the host nations

VI. Infrastructure and Procurement

• Public-private partnerships in World Cup infrastructure development
• Procurement, transparency, and anti–money laundering frameworks
• Lessons for trade and investment negotiation under the USMCA

Abstracts

Select papers will be considered for presentation at the symposium and for publication in the Houston Journal of International Law, a leading scholarly journal focused on international legal issues, as well as other academic publications. All submitted papers will undergo a peer-review process conducted by a distinguished panel of academics, legal practitioners, and members of the Houston Journal of International Law editorial board to ensure scholarly rigor and relevance.

Please Submit in English:

• A Working Title
• 3 - 5 Keywords
• An Abstract (300 - 500 words)
• A short professional biography (150 words)

Please submit materials or questions to uhlcglobalprograms@uh.edu by September 30, 2025. Include the Subject of the e-mail: “Symposium 2026/Abstract”

Submission Guidelines:

• Abstract Submission Deadline: September 30, 2025
• Notification of Acceptance: By November 1, 2025
• Full Draft Submission: January 15, 2026

Papers

Select papers will be considered for presentation at the symposium and for publication in the Houston Journal of International Law.

Please Submit in English:

• (To be decided)

Please submit materials or questions to uhlcglobalprograms@uh.edu. Include the Subject of the e-mail: (To be decided)

Submission Deadline:

• Full Draft Submission: January 15, 2026

On behalf of the symposium planning committee, thank you in advance for your submission!