Shihao Xu has successfully defended his thesis!
In this interview with him we learn more about his journey to PhD success and look ahead to his next steps in academia.
What is the title of your thesis?
Conditional Autonomy in Global Football: Public Law Routes and the Transformation of FIFA’s Private Order
Can you give a short description of your thesis?
My thesis examines the legal conditions under which a powerful private regulator such as FIFA may lawfully govern where professional footballers work and which competitions may operate. Using FIFA as its central case study, it shows how European Union free movement and competition law reshape the limits of private regulatory authority. It develops a framework of conditional autonomy, under which regulatory power remains legitimate only when exercised through clear criteria, evidence-based proportionality, timely reasons, and effective independent review.
Who were your supervisors?
Professor Gerard McCormack and Professor Andrew Campbell.
How were you funded?
Self-funded, with family support
What was your experience of your viva and who were your examiners? Did you get any corrections?
My viva was rigorous and fair, and it felt like a serious academic conversation. My examiners were Dr Steven Montagu-Cairns and Mr Angus Macculloch, and I passed with no corrections.
Did you have any academic or non-academic partners?
I did not have formal partners, but engaged with wider academic and professional communities through conferences and specialist events.
Why did you choose Leeds?
I first came to Leeds for my LLM, drawn by the strength of the School of Law and its academic environment. Once there, I found a community that was both intellectually serious and genuinely supportive. It is also where I met my wife, Xintong Xie, a Law School alumna whose support has been central to this journey.
What was your experience of being a PGR here?
It was demanding and deeply rewarding. Leeds provided a strong research environment, support for conferences, and many opportunities for intellectual exchange through training and discussion. Over time, I came to see research as something shaped through dialogue, feedback, and a shared commitment to getting the argument right.
What does it mean to you to have a PhD?
For me, a PhD is more than a title. It has changed how I think, read, and approach difficult problems, and brought me closer to the kind of scholar I hoped to become when I first decided to study law.
What are the next steps for your career?
I hope to continue developing the research beyond the thesis, and the framework it introduces has already begun to generate further work. In the longer term, I would like to build a career in legal academia, combining research and teaching, and helping students read judgments closely and understand what the law really requires.
- Shihao Xu carried out his work within the Centre for Business Law and Practice and can be found on LinkedIn.
