As preparations intensify for the upcoming FIFA World Cups, FIFA’s Anti-Doping Unit recently hosted its Doping Control Officer (DCO) Accreditation Course at the Home of FIFA in Zurich. The session, hosted at the Home of FIFA, brought together experienced FIFA DCOs and new recruits for a full day of theoretical and practical training. The theoretical component of the course covered key elements of FIFA’s Anti-Doping Programme, including the duties and obligations of a FIFA DCO, tournament logistics, testing kits and equipment, the use of digital systems, laboratory analysis processes, therapeutic use exemptions and in- and out-of-competition testing procedures. Sessions were delivered by senior FIFA anti-doping experts and internationally recognised specialists.

These sessions allowed DCOs to revisit and refine correct procedures in a controlled environment, ensuring consistency and precision in line with FIFA requirements. All participating DCOs were required to successfully complete a written competency examination before they could complete the course and renew or earn their DCO accreditation for future FIFA competitions. Only those who met FIFA’s standards will be accredited for assignments over the next two years.

Luis Villas-Boas, FIFA’s Director of Judicial Bodies said: “The DCO Accreditation Course forms a central pillar of FIFA’s ongoing commitment to protecting the integrity of football through robust, consistent and globally harmonised anti-doping controls. This rigorous standard is particularly important given the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 this summer and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027.” The accreditation programme is fully aligned with, and conducted in compliance with, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s International Standard for Testing and Investigations, underscoring FIFA’s commitment to clean sport and fair play at the highest level.