Dublin will welcome leading figures in football medicine next February when the Football Association of Ireland and the Irish Football Association jointly host the 10th UEFA Medical Symposium.
Taking place at The Convention Centre Dublin from 2–4 February 2027, the event will bring together medical officers, researchers, club doctors and physiotherapists from across Europe and beyond.
It marks the first time the two associations have jointly hosted the biennial symposium, and their collaboration is also part of the wider UEFA EURO 2028 legacy programme.
Organised by UEFA with European Football Clubs (EFC), the symposium will take place under the theme “Football Together for Health”, focusing on player welfare, medical innovation and the exchange of knowledge across the game.
The event provides an opportunity to build relationships across the European sports medicine community ahead of EURO 2028, while bringing an international gathering of specialists to Dublin.
UEFA chief medical officer Dr Zoran Bahtijarević said the programme would focus on applying the latest scientific evidence to everyday football practice, exploring new approaches to player health and strengthening cooperation between clubs, associations, researchers and clinicians.
Long-lasting well-being and ethical commitment in football medicine will also feature prominently.
Professor Tim Meyer, chairman of the UEFA Medical Committee, highlighted the symposium’s role in translating scientific knowledge into practical care and responding to the physical, medical and ethical demands of the modern game.
Dr Hakim Chalabi, chairman of the EFC Medical and Performance Unit and a UEFA Medical Committee member, emphasised UEFA and EFC’s shared work in equipping practitioners with the knowledge, experience and professional networks needed to deliver the best possible player care.
The event also has a commercial partnership dimension, with support from Haleon, UEFA’s first-ever Medical Health partner.
The partnership is built around a multi-year scientific collaboration focused on advancing evidence-based approaches to pain awareness in football, placing medical expertise and player welfare at the centre of the relationship.
The symposium illustrates how a major tournament’s legacy can go beyond match days and infrastructure, creating opportunities for professional development and cooperation across the sport.
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Image Credit: Dublin Convention Bureau
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