Continental Perspectives on the Geopolitical Economy of Football

Book excerpt: This book explores continental perspectives on football's new geopolitical economy, examining how sport, politics, and the global economy have emerged in different parts of the world. Against a backdrop of international conflict and the rise of powerful new state actors in world sport, the book delves into countries and cases that explore how football investments and events have become instruments of soft power and industrial development, and how football plays an increasingly significant role in global politics and international relations. Featuring the work of leading researchers from around the globe, and case studies from five continents, the book addresses key contemporary issues in world sport. It examines the Gulf States’ investments in European football, the debates around ‘sportwashing’ and human rights, the rise of sports in the politics and cultural relations of China and India, and football’s complex relationship with migration and identity in Africa and Latin America. The book also considers the seismic impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the geopolitics of football, the shifting landscape of football governance in Europe, the rise of Major League Soccer and the ‘Messi effect,’ and how the emergence of China and India as global economic superpowers is mirrored in their vision for their domestic football leagues. Additionally, the book highlights the role of FIFA and its commercial partners and stakeholders as key geopolitical actors on the world stage. This is essential reading for anyone interested in sport, political economy, international politics, globalization, or development.