Five GIS students have secured in-demand jobs as Tournament Analysts at FIFA, where they’ll be delving into performance analysis and coding players, amongst other things, in this year’s highly anticipated World Cup. The students have been given the exclusive chance to work within this thriving sector and gain unprecedented insight into the world’s biggest sports competition.
One of those lucky five was Steven Spencer, an MSc Performance Analysis student. Commenting on landing the role, he said: “I’m over the moon to have been able to accept this position at FIFA. I have always been a person to give 100% and when this opportunity came up I knew I had to grab it with both hands. I feel so fortunate to have been given this chance and I will do the absolute best job I can.”
The students begin their training for the role in September, just as they complete their Master’s degrees at GIS. Initially, they will also work on the under-20 and under-17 Women’s World Cups, as well as coding previous World Cup games for a point of comparison, before the all-important tournament in Qatar kicks off in November.
Danielle Prescott, Programme Leader for the MSc Performance Analysis course, added: “I’m absolutely thrilled for those who have been given this very prestigious opportunity. Working as a Performance Analyst with FIFA at the World Cup is a very difficult aspiration to beat and I’m sure an experience that our students will never forget. It’s a huge step into the world of Performance Analysis.”
Speaking to another soon-to-be analyst, Ben Chevreau, it’s not one that’s taken for granted, either. He echoed Danielle’s thoughts: “Having these opportunities is what sets GIS apart as an institution, directly helping students achieve their goals. The idea of working as an Analyst for the World Cup was just a dream eight months ago but with hard work and the support of the university it’s now a reality.”
Ben added: “My first day could not come soon enough!”
