Soccer, the most popular mass spectator sport in the world, has long been a site which articulates the complexities and diversities of the everyday life of the nation. The imaging and prioritization of the game as a ‘national’ or an ‘international’ event in public opinion and the media also play a critical role in transforming the soccer culture of a nation. In this context, the FIFA World Cup remains the grand spectacle for asserting the identity of the nation. This book intends to offer eclectic perspectives and discourses on the FIFA World Cup, and to throw light on the changing dimensions of football and sports culture in terms of identity, race, ethnicity, gender, fandom, governance, and so on. On the one hand, it focuses on the significance of the FIFA World Cup for nations in terms of hosting, performance, playing style, and identity formation. On the other, it looks beyond the World Cup to highlight the growing importance of a host of perspectives in sport in general and football in particular with reference to art, fandom, gender, media, and governance. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Sport in Society.

This study was the first systematically to cover those cities beyond the core that most clearly can be considered world cities: Bangkok, Cairo, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Mexico City, Moscow, Mumbai, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, and Singapore. Fourteen leading authorities from diverse backgrounds bring their expertise to bear on these cities across four continents and consider the major regional and global roles they play in economic, political, and cultural life. Conveying how these cities have followed various pathways to their present position, they offer multiple perspectives on the interplay of internal and external forces and demonstrate that any comprehensive discussion of world cities has to engage a multiplicity of perspectives. With an introduction by Josef Gugler and an afterword from Saskia Sassen, this substantial volume makes a major contribution to the world cities literature and provides an important impetus for further analysis.

This book offers an in‐depth analysis of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The first World Cup to be held in the Middle East, this was a unique sporting mega‐event, and this book explores its wider significance across political, socio‐cultural, economic, organisational and historical dimensions. Featuring the work of an international team of researchers, this book includes local and regional perspectives on the Qatar World Cup as well as views from beyond the Middle East. It covers the development phase, including the bidding process, as well as the tournament itself, exploring key contemporary issues in sport and event studies such as sports diplomacy and the geopolitics of sport, post‐colonial narratives, event legacies and community development, media framing, inclusive access, sport policy and governance, and mega‐events and human rights. Making sense of the world’s biggest sports event in an era in which sport has become a source of soft power for states around the world, this book is fascinating reading for anybody with an interest in the politics of sport, sport business and management, sport for development, event studies or the relationships between sport and wider society.

Managing the Football World Cup explores areas often overlooked by project management and business studies researchers. Therefore considering the global impact of the Football World Cup it is time for a detailed examination of the planning, organization, management, implementation and related commercial features of this mega-sport event.

Dive into "The Beautiful Game: Unveiling the Passion, Evolution, and Future of Football," a captivating journey through the heart and soul of football. This book offers a comprehensive exploration of the game’s rich history, its profound impact on cultures worldwide, and the exciting innovations shaping its future. From the electrifying moments of legendary matches to the personal stories of passionate fans and pioneering players, this book reveals why football captivates billions. Discover the evolution of the sport through historic milestones, delve into the strategies behind football’s greatest teams, and witness the global impact of football as a cultural and social force. But this isn’t just a walk down memory lane. "The Beautiful Game" also looks forward, examining the future of football with a keen eye on emerging technologies, the growth of women’s football, and the role of the sport in addressing global challenges. Join us as we uncover the transformative power of football, exploring its role in shaping communities, inspiring change, and creating opportunities for the future. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to the game, this book offers insights and stories that celebrate the magic of football and its place in our world.

This book offers a critical examination of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, being held in Australia and New Zealand. Drawing on perspectives from sociology, history, political science and management, it sheds new light on the development of women’s soccer and on women’s sport more broadly. The book examines the politics of the build-up to the tournament, including the bidding process, as well as how the tournament has been represented in the media, the governance structures of the tournament itself, and policy proposals designed to leave an enduring legacy for women and girls in sport. The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is the first Women’s World Cup to be held in the Southern Hemisphere and the first to be held with an expanded 32-team format. This book shows why the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup represents a unique opportunity to enhance our understanding of women’s football, gender-oriented sport development initiatives and strategies, national sport policy and programming, and the management of international sporting events. This book is fascinating reading for any student, researcher or practitioner with an interest in sport development, sport management, sport policy, sport sociology, event management, gender studies, political science, or the relationship between sport and wider society.

Firmly situating South African teams, players, and associations in the international framework in which they have to compete, South Africa and the Global Game: Football, Apartheid, and Beyond presents an interdisciplinary analysis of how and why South Africa underwent a remarkable transformation from a pariah in world sport to the first African host of a World Cup in 2010. Written by an eminent team of scholars, this special issue and book aims to examine the importance of football in South African society, revealing how the black oppression transformed a colonial game into a force for political, cultural and social liberation. It explores how the hosting of the 2010 World Cup aims to enhance the prestige of the post-apartheid nation, to generate economic growth and stimulate Pan-African pride. Among the themes dealt with are race and racism, class and gender dynamics, social identities, mass media and culture, and globalization. This collection of original and insightful essays will appeal to specialists in African Studies, Cultural Studies, and Sport Studies, as well as to non-specialist readers seeking to inform themselves ahead of the 2010 World Cup. This book was published as a special issue of Soccer and Society.