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The Sydney Cricket Ground and the neighbouring Allianz Stadium will soon play host to university students working towards a future career in sport.

The Global Institute of Sport (GIS) and the University of Newcastle yesterday announced a landmark partnership to establish a sports university campus in Sydney, looking to develop talent for Australia’s rapidly expanding sports industry.

Thanks to a partnership with Venues NSW, the collaboration will offer postgraduate programs at these inspirational sporting venues as well as the University of Newcastle’s Sydney CBD campus.

The unique ‘stadium-based’ campus model of learning is based on GIS’ success of campuses including Wembley Stadium in London and Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium in the USA.

The new Sydney campus will offer two master’s degrees: a Master of International Sports Business and a Master of Sports Analytics, along with a Graduate Certificate of Sports Analytics. These programs are the first Australian university degrees with teaching from inside stadiums, and are open to both domestic Australian and international students from January 2026.

Introducing the courses, Sharona Friedman, President and Chief Executive of the Global Institute of Sport, stated “this partnership marks a significant milestone for GIS and reinforces our commitment to providing world-class sports education.

"By combining our global expertise with the academic strength of the University of Newcastle and the unique access to elite venues provided by Venues NSW, we are creating a first-of-its-kind learning experience for Australian students as well as producing the next generation of leaders for the ever-growing Australian sports industry."

The Master of International Sports Business will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the global sports landscape, covering areas such as sports marketing, sponsorship, economics, sustainability, leadership, integrity and athlete management. The Master of Sports Analytics and Graduate Certificate of Sports Analytics will focus on the use of data analytics to improve sporting performance, fan engagement, and business decision-making, one of the fastest growing areas within sport.

Professor James Skinner, Dean of the University of Newcastle’s Business School, noted “we are excited to be partnering with GIS to offer these Australian-first programs which will deliver experiences far beyond the traditional classroom setting.

"To further mark the University of Newcastle’s 60th year delivering world class education, this unique collaboration offers our students unparalleled access to international experts, hands-on experience and world-renowned facilities to set them up for successful careers in the dynamic sports sector."

Sydney-based students will also be able to learn at GIS’ professional sports facilities around the world which in addition to Wembley Stadium and Chase Stadium also includes the Melbourne Cricket Ground, RSC Anderlecht’s Lotto Park in Brussels, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment’s BMO Field in Toronto, and football academies in Dubai and Jamaica.

This access, facilitated in Sydney by Venues NSW, will provide students with real-world insights into the operations of major sporting venues, events and organisations as well as access to a vast network of sports industry guest speakers that has already included the likes of Socceroo and Liverpool legend Harry Kewell, former Wallabies captain James Horwill, and senior executives from Cricket Australia, Tennis Australia, AFL clubs and A League clubs.

Matt Hart, General Manager - Commercial at Venues NSW, added "Venues NSW is delighted to support this partnership and contribute to the development of future sports industry leaders, as well as the sector and the economy more broadly.

"The Allianz Stadium and Sydney Cricket Ground are inspiration venues, and we are excited to provide students with the opportunity to learn in these world-class settings."

Applications for the Master of International Sports Business, Master of Sports Analytics, and Graduate Certificate of Sports Analytics are open now.

Click here for more information about the programs and how to apply.

Images: James McKeown, Edward Kitt, Sharona Friedman, Prof James Skinner, Patricia Diaz at Ray Boggiano Allianz Stadium this week (top); the program gets its launch (middle) and GIS students and staff on the pitch at the Allianz Stadium (below).

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