Call For Papers
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
Submission Guidelines & Deadlines
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!
