The Geopolitical Economy of Football: Where Power Meets Politics and Business

Simon Chadwick, Paul Widdop, Michael M. Goldman

Taylor & Francis, Nov 29, 2024 - Sports & Recreation - 334 pages

This book examines the new geopolitical economy of football, exploring the intersection of money, politics, and power in the world’s most popular sport.

Against a background of international conflict and the emergence of powerful new state actors in world sport, the book considers 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 world, and case studies from five continents, the book examines key contemporary issues such as the Gulf States’ interests in European soccer and debates around ‘sportwashing’ and human rights, the global politics of artificial intelligence (AI) in football, and football’s complex relationship with migration and identity in Africa and Latin America. It considers the seismic impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the geopolitics of football; on the shifting landscape of the governance of football in Europe; the rise of Major League Soccer and the ‘Messi effect’, and how the development of China and India into global economic superpowers is reflected in their vision for their domestic football leagues. The book also considers the importance of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and their commercial partners and stakeholders as geopolitical actors on the world stage.

This is a fascinating read for anybody with an interest in sport, political economy, international politics, globalisation, or development.

Contents

• List of Contributors: 1946
• Introduction to the Geopolitical Economy of Football: 1953
• Will AI Turn the Football World Upside Down?: 1963
• Complacent Cheerleaders Representing Nation States?: 1974
• Image Laundering Sport Washing and Greenwashing in and through: 1985
• Unpacking the Concept of Sportswashing in Elite Mens Professional: 1993
• Taking the Knee: 2001
• Environment Climate Change and Football: 2010
• The Hostages: 2017
• Why is the Business Model of FC Zenit Unclear to Scholars: 2025
• Europe and Geopolitical Influences on Womens Football Finance: 2034

About the author

Simon Chadwick is a Professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy. Over the last three decades, he has worked extensively with some of the most prominent people and organisations in world football, including clubs, governing bodies, tournament organisers, and sponsors.

Paul Widdop is Reader at the University of Manchester, UK. His research explores social and economic networks around the consumption and production of sport. He has published widely in the areas of sport and culture including articles in the Journal of Consumer Culture, Cultural Sociology, Cultural Trends, Electoral Studies, and the Journal of Political Marketing. Widdop serves on the editorial board of several academic journals and is co-founder of the Football Collective, a learned society of academics researching impacts of football on society.

Michael M. Goldman is Professor with the Sport Management Program at the University of San Francisco, USA, while also working with the Gordon Institute of Business Science in South Africa. He works with students, managers, and clients to enhance their abilities to acquire, grow, and retain profitable customers and fans.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Geopolitical Economy of Football: Where Power Meets Politics and Business
• Editors: Simon Chadwick, Paul Widdop, Michael M. Goldman
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis, 2024
• ISBN: 1040256120, 9781040256121
• Length: 334 pages
• Subjects: Political Science / General; Sports & Recreation / Business Aspects; Sports & Recreation / Football; Sports & Recreation / Soccer