Abstract: Focusing on the theoretical foundation and practical strategies for ideological and political (I&P) education within university public football courses, this study takes International College of Football Tongji University as a single-case reference. Guided by Marx's concept of all-round human development, hidden curriculum theory and constructivist pedagogies, the research explicates five core dimensions — "cultivating morality via football, inspiring intelligence via football, strengthening physical fitness via football, nurturing aesthetics via football, and promoting labor spirit via football" — to illustrate the comprehensive educational value inherent in football training. Through an in-depth analysis of curriculum design, faculty development and evaluation mechanism at Tongji University, the findings show that a multi-faceted approach combining explicit instruction and implicit immersion, supported by a systematic teacher training plan, effectively enhances students' sense of responsibility, teamwork, labor awareness and overall competencies. Meanwhile, a dynamic evaluation framework ensures the sustained realization and continuous refinement of course I&P objectives. The study concludes that, to implement football course I&P education successfully, universities must integrate contextual resources, tailor teacher capacity building, and establish robust feedback loops, thereby contributing to an integrated reform model that advances both "sport-education synergy" and "values-based cultivation".