Layne Vandenberg received her PhD in Political Economy from King’s College London & University of Hong Kong. Her dissertation, "International multilateral organisations and state resistance: case study analyses of FIFA’s member associations and state-led ‘government interference’", was inspired by Play the Game’s 2017 report on sports autonomy. Her research has explored conflict and cooperation between states and international organisations, with a particular focus on political behavior and compliance in global sports governance. This has led her to investigate policy and politics around the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, and sport-related regulation and reform in national contexts. Her work has been widely published in popular news outlets, including during her tenure as a writer for The Diplomat.
A Yenching Scholar (China) and Fulbright Research Scholar (Brazil), she received her LLM in International Relations from Peking University and graduated with Highest Honors and Highest Distinction in International Security, Norms, and Cooperation from the University of Michigan. She has significant experience in the sports governance sector, having worked with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the U.S. Soccer Federation, and the FIFA 2026 World Cup Host City of Boston.