FIFA World Cup

This is a chapter in the volume: Philippe Fargues and Nasra M. Shah (eds.), Migration to the Gulf: Policies in Sending and Receiving Countries, Gulf Labour Markets and Migration (GLMM) Programme, Gulf Research Center Cambridge, 2018. For other chapters and the entire volume, please refer to www.gulfmigration.eu. The Gulf Labour Markets, Migration and Population Programme (GLMM) cannot be held responsible in any way for the correctness and accuracy of the information and data published on its website, on paper and in other forms, including the database and its publications. GLMM strongly encourages users to verify the correctness and accuracy of the information and data with the source, which is always indicated with the greatest accuracy and detail possible. Any opinions expressed in any GLMM publication are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily state or reflect the opinions or position of the Migration Policy Centre, the European University Institute or the Gulf Research Center. Terms of use: By using any information from Gulf Labour Markets, Migration and Population Programme (GLMM), the user: (a) acknowledges having read the legal notices concerning copyright, terms of use and disclaimers and agrees to comply with them in full; (b) agrees to assure himself/herself whether and to what extent copyrights exist on information published by GLMM prior to using this information; (c) agrees not to use information published by GLMM in any way that would result in the infringement of existing copyrights; (d) agrees to always follow precisely and fully the citation instructions provided by GLMM. GLMM publications may be copied and distributed only in their entirety and together with any copyright statements they may contain, as long as they are properly attributed and used for non-commercial, educational, or public policy purposes. Photographs, logos, graphs, tables or any other images from GLMM publications may not be used separately.

Research in match performance analysis has progressed markedly, yet detailed studies on technical-tactical indicators, notably those addressing multiple situational variables, remain sparse. To narrow this literature gap, this study aimed to examine the impact of four situational variables (competition stage, match period, match status, and team quality) on key performance indicators (KPIs) in goal-scoring sequences during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. All 168 goalscoring sequences from regular time were evaluated post-event using the Offensive Sequences Characterisation System, which included simple and composite indicators. Another three categorical variables (ball recovery type, ball recovery location, and team possession type) were also coded. To evaluate the effects of situational variables, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied to KPIs, whilst Chi-square and Multinomial Logistic Regression were conducted for categorical variables. The analysis revealed that while competition stage, match period, and match status did not significantly affect KPIs related to build-up and progression, they noticeably influenced defensive-to-offensive transitions, particularly during mid-game (31-60 min) and when teams were losing. In such scenarios, teams regained possession higher up the pitch, employing more aggressive defensive strategies. Team quality emerged as the most decisive factor, with better-ranked teams displaying longer, more structured attacks and faster ball interventions to score. The findings suggest that success in elite soccer is driven not only by team quality, but also by adaptability to match-specific conditions. Integrating these situational factors into both training and match preparation is vital to developing a team's adaptability to the ever-evolving contextual dynamics of elite soccer.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 presents a transformative opportunity for British Columbia, yet current investments are overwhelmingly concentrated in Vancouver, leaving smaller communities sidelined. While the province is committing over half a billion dollars to Vancouver’s hosting duties, little attention has been given to Team Base Camps (TBCs)—a proven strategy for distributing economic, cultural, and legacy benefits more equitably. Communities like Port Alberni and Langford have mobilized local support and infrastructure readiness to host global teams, but provincial and federal backing remains absent. This narrow, centralized approach contrasts sharply with the U.S., which has strategically expanded its TBC network to maximize nationwide benefits. Supporting TBCs in smaller BC communities could deliver enduring legacies in sports infrastructure, tourism, and local economies, ensuring the World Cup’s return on investment extends beyond the big cities.

Spain’s youth football system offers a case study in engineered excellence—where consequence, not charisma, drives development. This paper examines how Spain’s federated pipeline, spanning grassroots clubs to national squads, has produced sustained competitive dominance across both men’s and women’s football. Through structural parity, meritocratic advancement, and intentional investment—most notably Iberdrola’s catalytic sponsorship—Spain has transformed youth football from extracurricular activity into institutional architecture. The system’s design rejects episodic brilliance in favor of generational continuity, embedding pressure fluency, tactical literacy, and narrative cohesion into every stage of development. Spain’s ascent in women’s football, culminating in the 2023 World Cup victory, is not anomaly but inevitability—a yield of infrastructure meeting intention. By analyzing Spain’s model as both a developmental framework and a cultural philosophy, this paper argues that systemic equity, when scaled with rigor, can regenerate excellence across gender, geography, and time.

As the FIFA World Cup 2026™ approaches, the excitement extends beyond host cities to smaller communities like Port Alberni, British Columbia, which is bidding to serve as a Team Base Camp (TBC). This article explores how Port Alberni's involvement could yield widespread benefits—economically, socially, and culturally—for stakeholders ranging from FIFA to the local community. By providing a secure and serene training environment paired with a quality hotel, Port Alberni offers a compelling option for a participating nation. The piece highlights the potential impact on FIFA's tournament legacy, Canada's international image, British Columbia’s regional development, Vancouver Island’s tourism industry, the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District’s infrastructure, and Port Alberni's long-term civic pride and visibility. Through this lens, the article illustrates how even a small city can "win big" on the world stage.

Most analyses of African football have turned to neoliberalism and globalisation to explain developments, but these theories seem to lack analytical grip and predictive force. African teams have not improved their showing at FIFA World Cup tournaments over the past 30 years and in 2018 fared worse than in the past. South African comedian Trevor Noah's claim that Africa won the World Cup because of the presence of many non-white players in the French team conceals the reality that African football has entered a phase of reverse migration, with many national teams are composed to a large extent of European born and based players. South Africa's Premier Soccer League offers another problematic example: it is at once an example of successful broadcasting neoliberalism but raises problems in that its local success may be at the expense of successful globalisation of the game in South Africa. An examination of football viewership across sub-Saharan Africa may offer a better approach to understanding how sports partisanship and the ecology of leisure investment in sport works in a developing country, than theories from the Global North have.

More developing countries are now bidding for and hosting mega-events. However, it is unclear whether the legacies of a sport mega-event will benefit the host country's rural citizens. This is a particularly neglected area of research on mega-events. Rural communities in South Africa remain marginalised and often impoverished. This study assesses rural community members' perceptions of the costs and benefits of South Africa's hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It looks at the impacts they anticipated and how they would like to have participated in and benefited from the event. The responses of 100 households in Makhowe in rural KwaZulu-Natal show that this community generally supported South Africa's hosting of the event and expected direct benefits. Both negative and positive experiences and legacies were anticipated. It is recommended that partnerships be leveraged with game parks to enhance opportunities for rural communities and that further research should be conducted.

Donald Trump's controversial announcement of a travel ban on people from 12 countries visiting the US, immediately sparked questions about the implications for the upcoming Fifa Club World Cup and next year's men's football World Cup, both hosted in the US, as well as the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The Fifa Club World Cup starts on June 15 and is hosted at venues across the US including at stadiums in Miami, Los Angeles and New York. Teams will travel from across the world to the US for the tournament. The travel ban will start on June 9, just before the major tournament, which features some of the biggest football clubs in the world, will start. While the announcement says athletes competing will be exempt from the ban, it is not obvious that this will extend to fans. And further restrictions on who can enter the country may add to the fear many travellers are feeling of being stopped at the US border.

Tourism legacy impacts are considered one of the most important reasons for countries host a mega event. They generate short, medium and, long-term legacies in the destination image, as well as, at economic and sociocultural level. The paper objective is to show the short-term evolution of economic legacies indicators of sports mega-events, two years before and two years after each event. It was verified through an exploratory analysis of tourism employment level, total investment, and Tourism GDP of the countries that hosted the last three FIFA World Cups. Also, it analyzes the country's competitive strengths at the year that the megaevent happened based on the Tourism & Travel Competitiveness Index pillars (TTCI). Thus, it performed an explanatory and descriptive analysis of secondary data. Literature review points out the infrastructure as the central pillar to receive a sports mega-event. However, the results did not indicate this focus in the last countries chosen. Also, the economic legacies had increased after the sports mega-event, but not in all hosts analyzed. Therefore, the assumption of positive effects generated by sports mega-events is not consolidated. Further research is recommended to establish indicators and approaches the impact on the host country by a mega-event from the legacy perspective.

This paper investigated the environmental impacts of sports tourism: A case study of overcrowding, pollution and waste management during 2023 AFCON. The research design adopted for this study is descriptive and survey-based, which enabled the systematic collection of primary data through the administration of a structured questionnaire. The study focused on a sample of 150 respondents, selected from various communities within the Local Government Area. Descriptive analysis was employed to analysis the data. Result from the study revealed that There will be percentage increase in tourist influx during the hosting of AFCON competitions. The percentage increase in tourist influx will lead environmental pollution during the hosting of AFCON competitions. Increased waste generation and poor waste management will be the major sources of environmental pollution during the hosting of AFCON competitions. High-level traffic congestion and air pollution from vehicular emissions will be the major sources of environmental pollution during the hosting of AFCON competitions. Overcrowding of tourist destinations and natural reserve will be the major sources of environmental pollution during the hosting of AFCON competitions.

Depending on the football players' position on the field, athletes must meet specific requirements. Football players occupying different positions exhibit variations in the speed of their decision-making processes. The current study examines the psychomotor and cognitive abilities of U14 football players, focusing on the differences between playing positions (defenders, midfielders, forwards). The participants were 34 players, 17 for each team-Sport Team Academy (Series I) and Pro Team Academy (Series III), with positions distributed as goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards. The PsiSelteva test battery was used to assess key psychomotor and cognitive abilities, including reaction times, perceptual-motor efficiency, and working memory. Moreover, two mental operations were addressed, namely the mental identification operation and the mental selection operation, providing additional insight into the players' cognitive efficiency. Testing conditions were standardized, and players were assessed individually. The results revealed significant differences between playing positions, with midfielders demonstrating superior performance in most psychomotor and cognitive indicators. Defenders showed strengths in tasks involving discrimination reaction time, while forwards registered a faster selection timethe time needed to select the appropriate motor response/ action, from multiple possibilities. The findings highlight the importance of adapting training to position-specific demands, contributing to the development of personalized approaches that optimize players' strengths and effectively address their weaknesses.

This paper presents a demonstration of the implementation and performance results of the SCATS V2I system for managing FIFA bus transit during the 2022 World Cup in Doha, Qatar to assist hosting more than 1.4 million people from across the globe in a smart way. The goal of the project was to streamline bus operations for seamless and efficient transit between key event venues, improve traffic flow, and reduce congestion. SCATS (Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System), as an intelligent traffic management system, during this task integrated with the buses' V2I communication systems, to enable real-time optimization of signal timings based on bus priorities and traffic condition. This paper provides insights into system architecture and performance metrics of the SCATS V2I system, demonstrating its benefits for public transportation during a high-profile event. Through the integration of the Qatar Bus Fleet Management System with SCATS SPE, the Qatar Road Management Centre was able to synchronized 150 traffic signals for 327 FIFA buses by 11,395 times.

English in the Linguistic Landscape of the FIFA World Cup 2022 199 hatred, and grudges" to attack Qatar and its national identity . Thus, the FIFA World Cup became an arena for broader cultural and political battles, reflecting and reinforcing existing prejudices and divisions. In response to the backdrop of Islamophobia and cultural misconceptions, Qatar undertook a strategic approach to leverage the FIFA World Cup as a platform for promoting a deeper interfaith understanding of Islam and its cultural values and artifacts and countering prevailing stereotypes. Central to this effort of presenting an alternative narrative was the deployment of English and other multilingual materials aimed at introducing the tenets of Islam, Qatari culture, and the Arab world's rich heritage to a global audience. While Sadiki (2022) viewed the World Cup as an opportunity to challenge biased perceptions of Arab and Muslim societies, Ahmad (2022) highlighted the event's infusion with local Arab and Islamic cultural elements, from its stadium designs to how the World Cup mascot La'eeb spoke with an Arabic-accented English and used Arabic words in his English speech. The Qatari government in collaboration with Islamic centers and organizations curated a plethora of resources designed to educate visitors on the essence of Islamic hospitality, values, and traditions. These initiatives were complemented by programs and events that encouraged direct engagement and dialogue between locals and visitors, facilitating a better understanding and appreciation of the cultural and religious context of Qatar and the broader Islamic world. In fact, the opening ceremony of the World Cup started with a recitation of the Qur'anic verse "Sūrat Al-Ḥujurāt," Chapter 13, by Ghanim Al-Muftah, a young Qatari entrepreneur with a large social media following: "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you people and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted" (Qur'an, 2010). Asrar (2022) described how the ceremony, which also included Morgan Freeman, a famous American actor who narrated about how divided the world is, "made it evident that Qatar wanted the world to understand Islam with the aim of encouraging an interfaith understanding of it" (n.p.). This chapter analyzes how the choice of English and other non-official languages in public signage was a strategic decision, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity for the international community. This multilingual approach not only aimed to dismantle misconceptions about Islam, but also sought to emphasize universal values, such as peace, kindness, and mercy, which are central to Islamic faith. A key strategy in countering Islamophobic narratives involved deployment of public signage containing Islamic values, in strategic places, using English as a medium to articulate Islamic viewpoints on global issues like human rights and environmental sustainability. By presenting Islam in languages understood by the majority of World Cup attendees and in a positive, educational manner, Qatar was able to position itself as a mediator in the global conversation on Islam, challenging stereotypes through education and open dialogue. This chapter is organized as follows: it begins with an overview of the study's context and the linguistic landscape of Doha, Qatar, followed by a review of prior research on the use of English and other languages in the religious linguistic

Mega-sporting events such as the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup are often celebrated for their ability to promote international unity, economic growth, and cultural exchange. However, beneath their global appeal lies a recurring pattern of human rights violations, particularly in host nations with weak accountability frameworks. This paper examines the intersection of mega-sporting events and human rights abuses, focusing on three core areas: labor exploitation, forced displacement, and the suppression of civil liberties. Through case studies including Qatar 2022, Paris 2024, Rio 2016, and the anticipated impacts of Los Angeles 2028, the paper highlights how global sporting bodies like FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have failed to enforce meaningful human rights protections. It analyzes the structural and legal shortcomings within existing frameworks and emphasizes the role of state and corporate actors in perpetuating abuses. The paper concludes by proposing enforceable reforms—including binding human rights clauses, independent oversight mechanisms, and corporate accountability models—to ensure that future mega-events prioritize ethical governance and protect vulnerable populations. This research contributes to the growing discourse on sports and human rights, advocating for systemic change in the governance of international sporting events.

Football, commonly known as soccer in some parts of the world, is the most popular sport globally, showing off an estimated 4 billion fanbase and a staggering economic impact exceeding $200 billion annually. The FIFA World Cup, organized every four years in a different host city, stands as a cultural event, generating over $7.5 billion in revenue in 2022 while uniting nations through the spirit of competition and national pride. The tournament's capacity for upsets captures audiences, allowing underdog teams to defy expectations and carve their names into football history. This study delves into match data from previous tournaments to uncover the tactical and statistical elements that contribute to these unexpected victories. By analyzing key factors such as efficiency in counterattacks, ball possession, passing accuracy, and opponent errors, we reveal distinct patterns that differentiate upsets apart from anticipated outcomes. Our findings illuminate the strategies that enable underdog teams to overturn the odds, highlighting the dynamic nature of these remarkable victories. This research offers valuable insights for analysts, coaches, and fans who aspire to deepen their understanding of the dynamics behind game-changing performances in international football.

The study examines the historical, social, and pedagogical connections between football and Olympism through an interdisciplinary approach. The research employed the methodologies of history, sports science, education science, and social sciences, while analyzing contemporary sources, press materials, as well as current professional documents and regulatory frameworks. The analysis aimed to explore the relationship between football as an educational tool and the pedagogical values of Olympism, along with their impact on sports pedagogy practice.
The study introduces the triple spiral model of sports pedagogy as a novel concept, where the interconnections between sports science, education, and socio-economic relations mutually strengthen each other. The applicability of the model is demonstrated through the example of football, with special emphasis on Hungary’s historical Olympic achievements, which can serve as a motivational force in education. The findings highlight the need for closer collaboration between school physical education and sports clubs, as well as the importance of subject integration and modern pedagogical practices. It can be concluded that such an interdisciplinary approach to sports pedagogy may have significant social, health, and cultural implications. Future research directions could include examining the triple spiral model in other sports, as well as implementing theoretical findings in practice through methodological tools and training programs.

Social media is a central arena for the articulation of values, shaping what people around the world deem important and desirable. However, traditional value typologies struggle to capture the dynamic nature of value expression in digital spheres and overlook new communication-related values prevalent in these environments. Addressing these gaps, we developed an analytical framework for investigating value expression on social media, comprising three general value orientations (Do well, Do good, and Feel good) and four communicative value orientations (Inform, Influence, Bond, and Express). We drew on extensive cross-national research to construct the framework and examined its utility through a study of TikTok videos related to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Our analysis shows how value orientations enable the identification of patterns that underpin complex discourses. Ultimately, our framework offers a pathway to understand what people present as valuable on social media, as well as the broader value ecosystem platforms cultivate.

Football expresses, rethinks, ideally reconstructs society, and at the same time, remains involved in its changes, in all its aspects, from cultural to political and economic. A catalyst for interests of different kinds, football has become a determining factor for the diplomatic and political balance between the different state and private entities over time. The game of football has been a constant in all cultures, both in the Old and New Worlds, witnessed in manuscripts and epic poems that tell stories concerning a rubber ball widespread, above all, in the Asian area.  The transition to modern football, as we know it, took place on October 26, 1863, with the establishment of the Football Association .
Within this social mechanism, the ball and its "first actors", the players, become a powerful resource in the hands of public and private subjects, in order to build an image of social and political commitment that hides, most of the time, global strategic interests. A powerful tool that contributes, in many cases, to the conquest of power.
The circumstances in which entrepreneurs, but also politicians, have built their institutional image through football are well known, following two directions: proximity to ordinary people, sharing the same passion, and the promise to make their country emerge in the world with the same stubbornness and ability they had in the world of business and football.
The footballer becomes, to all intents and purposes, an important pawn to determine not only results and successes in the sporting field but also to become a vector of leading social and political instances. The latter, in fact, obtains within society the recognition of strong individuality, in the public space and in the sporting dimension, to which a social prestige and an honorary distinction of particular entity is attributed, by virtue of sporting and ethical qualities strongly honored both by fans and enthusiasts and by the mainstream public.
In the body of the footballer, therefore, not only technical but also personal characteristics reverberate, considered worthy of recognition and collective praise such as: talent, spirit of sacrifice, power, courage, imagination, leadership, propensity for cooperation, inventiveness, inclination to excellence and victory in a highly competitive environment. This status allows one to draw attention to oneself, to be clearly visible and on many occasions to obtain deference, privileges, almost unlimited economic resources, and other enormous responsibilities on the strictly political and social level.
The status of celebrity is, in fact, the result of continuous negotiation, especially with fans and spectators, with whom meanings and symbols are negotiated that can give rise to excitement, consensus, aporias and conflicts. Social prestige, due to football skills and victories in the most prestigious tournaments, guarantees not only media notoriety but also monetary measurability to the player himself, allowing the commercialization of his body to promote services, goods and brands, which are very often also linked to certain political messages.
A successful footballer, in fact, can be transformed into a recognizable brand, which moves in a variety of markets: media entertainment, production of consumer goods linked to his name and promotional messages.
On the other hand, if popularity guarantees the player economically advantageous contracts and also because it ensures the consumption promoted on the global market, in an apparently more human dimension. The credibility of the character and the apparent authenticity of sporting successes are, in fact, the foundation of his "discursive power", of the reliability of his opinion or of the values he conveys, or of that bond of trust that can be capitalized from a commercial point of view. Of course, the capital of football celebrities can also be converted in a different way, in fact a football celebrity can also engage in spreading social and civil messages.

A kötet első részében a sporttörténészek, sportközgazdászok, illetve társadalomtudósok által elvégzett átfogó kutatások és elemzések kerülnek összegyűjtésre, melyek a Nemzetközi Olimpiai Bizottság (NOB) működésére, annak politikai, gazdasági és hatalmi összefüggéseire vonatkoznak. Ezután az egyes sportágak nemzetközi és világszervezetei viszonyai és hatalmi küzdelmei kerülnek terítékre, továbbá a NOB tevékenységéhez kapcsolódásuk kérdései. Külön fejezet gyűjti össze az olimpiák gazdasági sikerességének, vagy sikertelenségének az okait és az ezeket elemző művek állításait. Ezután a nem látványsportok szerveződésének nehézségeit elemző művek kerülnek bemutatásra, mely révén ezek csak az állami és a nemzetközi sportszervezetek támogatásai révén tudnak tartósan működni. Ehhez kapcsolódóan a zárórészben ilyen jellegű vízisportok szerveződése és szervezetei kerülnek bemutatásra.

Tourism destination competitiveness is a multidimensional concept that is widely studied in the academic literature. The corruption affects countries' business environment, generating negative image and barriers, so hindering its' ability to compete as a global player. This paper analyses this relation in the tourism industry in a sample of South American countries through a comparison within a five-year period based on the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) with the variation of Corruption Perception Index (CPI). An exploratory analysis to verify the upward and downward in these monitors was performed. The relation between TTCI and CPI was verified by a regression analysis. This research contributes directly to addressing a topic rarely explored in the tourism area, the influence of corruption perception in destination competitiveness. The results confirm that corruption perception impacts on tourism competitiveness of countries, but in presence of strong sources of tourism attractiveness, such as Mega events, this relation was reduced.

Many ways exist to promote and increase awareness of products, one of which is through collaboration with celebrities or well-known figures to become brand ambassadors. Collaboration with brand ambassadors is a form of communication carried out by a brand or event to convey messages and information to the audience regarding the content of the message. This research was conducted with the aim of understanding the role of Ghanim Al Muftah as a brand ambassador in introducing the inclusive FIFA World Cup 2022. The research method used was descriptive qualitative, employing a case study and literature review method. The results obtained in this study show that Ghanim Al Muftah's role as a brand ambassador has garnered a positive response, had a beneficial impact, and effectively conveyed awareness of the inclusivity aspect to the audience. This is an open access article under the CC-BY-SA license.

This study aims to explore how media coverage influences the performance of athletes through the case of the Saudi football team in the 2022 World Cup.
The study measures the characteristics of the local media coverage from the perspective of the Saudi audience using an online survey of 415 Saudi football fans. The results show that the main characteristics of the local media coverage
were: its widespread among the society, its social responsibility and its
avoidance of discrimination and the least recorded feature was its
interactivity. The audience highly agreed that the local media coverage did
affect the performance of the team in a positive way (μ=3.95) and that it has boosted player confidence and team spirit, but it also raised expectations and pressure, which could hurt performance. The study shows that media coverage requires to be more balanced and responsible.

Football's universal appeal and inherent simplicity position it as a transformative force across geographical, political, and cultural boundaries. Since the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930, it has evolved into the most watched sporting event globally, facilitating cultural exchange, economic growth, and social unity. This chapter critically examines the multifaceted economic impacts of hosting the World Cup, including infrastructure enhancements, tourism boosts, and job creation, while also addressing significant challenges such as human rights violations and environmental degradation. Key milestones, such as Brazil's mid-20th century dominance and the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, illustrate the tournament's evolution. Furthermore, the World Cup serves as a platform for global peace and diplomacy, fostering mutual respect and understanding among nations. As it adapts to contemporary challenges, the tournament reflects the ongoing dynamics within the global football community.

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of the Qatar 2022 World Cup in promoting bonding, bridging, and linking social capital within the host community and beyond. A total of 403 respondents completed a researcher-made questionnaire 12 months after the event. One sample t-test

In a particular game where two nations are contesting, the supporters of each team cheer for their own country. The gesture is to show one’s loyalty and association with that country. Thus, sports bind a nation through individual emotion. The game constitutes the emotion of the
audience and as well as that of the player. Representing their own nation on the international arena is a dream of all players. This is the ideal dream of a player who at least has a country of their own and has a citizenship of that country by birth. But what if the player does not have a country? Or maybe the player is representing a nation that is not their won, rather which has given asylum. The player may be a refugee of that country. Or if a team (consists of refugees across the globe) which does not have a country and therefore does not have a flag also is taking part in an international event? All these questions have the potentiality to rupture the apparently settled relationship between sports, nation-nationalism, and the state. In this article, we are trying to unpack the nuances of such tendencies that have emerged from the FIFA World Cup and Olympics.

This study assessed the impact of team offensive variables on goals scored in Spain's first-division soccer league from 2012-2013 to 2021-2022. A nomothetic multidimensional study was conducted, following the STROBE checklist. From 115 team variables available in the INSTAT database, 57 offensive metrics were selected. The selection was performed independently by five researchers to ensure comprehensive inclusion of relevant metrics. The data included 38 league matches each season, involving 30 teams. The study identified key offensive performance metrics strongly correlated with goals scored. These include shots on target (r = 0.898), chances created (r = 0.871), penalty box entries (r = 0.852), positional attacks with shots (r = 0.818), total shots (r = 0.807), central attacks with shots (r = 0.804), accurate passes (r = 0.760), and efficiency in positional attacks (r = 0.755). The findings underscore the importance of specific offensive metrics in enhancing goal-scoring capabilities. Coaches can improve their team's offensive performance by focusing on passing accuracy, dribbling, and maximizing scoring chances. Successful teams consistently convert attacks into shots on goal through various situations, including central attacks, flanks, counterattacks, corners, and set pieces. Tactical adjustments based on these insights can optimize offensive effectiveness.

Purpose: This article explores the evolution of international bonds between Middlesbrough in the north east of England and North Korea arising from the participation of the North Korean men’s football team at the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Shedding new light on the origins of this example of sporting diplomacy, this research seeks to understand the dynamics of international relations enacted at a local level and highlights the role of key individuals and institutions in facilitating this connection between the town and North Korea into the twenty-first century. Design, Methodology, Approach: Beginning with an assessment of early interactions between Middlesbrough and North Korea, this paper analyses the way in which the relationship has been articulated and developed across several decades. Drawing upon local authority archives, historic newspaper collections, oral history and private collections, this study brings together hitherto underexplored resources, including North Korean diplomat...

It’s now 25 years since Boro played their final season at Ayresome Park. Former Middlesbrough, Manchester United and England defender Gary Pallister played at the much-missed venue at the start of his hugely successful career and he spoke about his memories of Ayresome Park, Old Trafford and how new stadiums compare with historic old grounds.

During summer 1966 global attention turned to the manufacturing centre of Sheffield as "Steel City" played host to a number of FIFA World Cup matches. The tournament has been romanticised by the press as a key national triumph following England's victory, whilst sport historians have critiqued the event's cultural, economic, political and social impact. This article contends that this major sporting event served as a platform for articulating and experiencing the provincial north of England by highlighting how postwar Sheffield utilised the 1966 World Cup to promote multiple identities spanning that of a traditional, northern industrial centre to one of a modern, forward-thinking city.

Purpose: The research focuses on esports branding in the era of globalization, with a multimethod analysis of the FIFAe World Cup.
Methodology: This research was conducted in two parts: quantitative and qualitative. The statistical population of this study was experts in the field of brand and esports. Twenty people from the research community were interviewed and selected as the statistical sample of the research. This research uses Fuzzy Delphi, the balanced scorecard, and the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchical Process.
Finding: The qualitative section identified the most critical challenges in developing the FIFAe World Cup brand using the Fuzzy Delphi method, resulting in 17 concepts. In the quantitative part, the fuzzy analytic hierarchical process determined the priority of each challenge affecting brand development. The study found that Weakness in the management structure was the most critical challenge from the perspective of internal processes, neglect of research was the most significant challenge from the perspective of growth and learning, ignorance of new methods of monetization and sponsorship were the most critical challenges from the standpoint of financial aspects, and Weakness in service quality was the most vital challenge from the perspective of customers.
Originality: The implications of this research suggest that using this model can help familiarize managers with priorities for addressing brand development challenges of the FIFAe World Cup and enable the integration of brand performance evaluation. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the challenges and strategies for developing the brand of the FIFAe World Cup and offers a structured approach for addressing these challenges.

espanolEste articulo analiza el discurso del diario ingles The Times con el objetivo de verifi car como los periodistas del rotativo cubrieron la Copa del Mundo de la FIFA 2014 y, dentro de esa cobertura, como describieron a Brasil (el pais sede) y a los brasilenos. La metodologia de investigacion se basa en conceptos del Analisis del Discurso Frances (especifi camente, en la idea de “implicitos”, elaborada por Oswald Ducrot) y en los Estudios Culturales (donde destaca Stuart Hall). De esta manera, se pretende verifi car si los textos del periodico trabajaron con lugares comunes sobre Brasil y los brasilenos, como el epiteto “Brasil: pais del futbol”. ?En un contexto de una supuesta fragmentacion de las identidades y de una crisis de las identidades clasicas, fueron Brasil y los brasilenos descritos por la prensa anglosajona como “el” “Pais del futbol”, desde una perspectiva esencialista y homogeneizadora, como si todos los brasilenos fuesen unos apasionados del futbol (sin excepcio...

The leaching behaviour of fly ash from a Co smelter situated in the Zambian Copperbelt was studied as a function of pH (5-12) using the pH-static leaching test (CEN/TS 14997). Various experimental time intervals (48 h and 168 h) were evaluated. The leaching results were combined with the ORCHESTRA modelling framework and a detailed mineralogical investigation was performed on the original FA and leached solid residues. The largest amounts of Co, Cu, Pb and Zn were leached at pH 5, generally with the lowest concentrations between pH 9 and 11 and slightly increased concentrations at pH 12. For most elements, the released concentrations were very similar after 48 h and 168 h, indicating near-equilibrium conditions in the system. Calcite, clinopyroxenes, quartz and amorphous phases predominated in the fly ash. Various metallic sulfides, alloys and the presence of Cu, Co and Zn in silicates and glass were detected using SEM/EDS and/or TEM/EDS. The leaching of metals was mainly attributed to the dissolution of metallic particles. Partial dissolution of silicate and glass fractions was assumed to significantly influence the release of Ca, Mg, Fe, K, Al and Si as well as Cu, Co and Zn. The formation of illite was suggested by the ORCHESTRA modelling to be one of the main solubility-controlling phases for major elements, whereas Co and Zn were controlled by CoO and zincite, respectively. Sorption of metals on hydrous ferric oxides was assumed to be an important attenuation mechanism, especially for the release of Pb and Cu. However, there is a high risk of Co, Cu, Pb and Zn mobility in the acidic soils around the smelter facility. Therefore, potential local options for ''stabilisation'' of the fly ash were evaluated on the basis of the modelling results using the PHREEQC code.

desde este año en el nivel inicial incorporamos la generación de imágenes con tecnología inteligente. Las aplicaciones alternativas de generación de imágenes nos permitieron cambiar los tradicionales collages por la generación de prompts, posterior reelaboración de la memoria conceptual sobre la imagen obtenida y a la vez su confrontación entre el tiempo, la calidad y la originalidad o detectar aspectos repetitivos. Esto se llevó adelante usando aplicaciones gratuitas solamente (tipo imagine art) disponibles en los teléfonos móviles relevados en el primer momento del ejercicio. Estas aplicaciones permiten a los usuarios de Canva gratis generar hasta seis imágenes. Trabajando por equipos en la segunda parte sobre una de aquellas seleccionada. En una ronda de preguntas al cierre de la unidad los estudiantes de arquitectura indagaron generaron inquietudes desde que aptitudes sensibles se pierden o multiplican su resultado. En los años superiores los estudiantes que fueron sorprendidos por los años de no presencialidad y los años híbridos, quienes se encuentran terminando su formación a ellos también les preguntamos si ya existe un nuevo horizonte. En la educación desde el COVID-19 se incorporaron naturalmente y se condice con el mercado laboral que demanda el uso de programas como el BIM (Building Information Modeling) en una metodología de trabajo colaborativo y en tiempo real para la gestión de proyectos. A la vez existen instancias no presenciales en su totalidad en posgrados y carreras de formación de grado. Creemos oportuno el tiempo transcurrido entre pantallas y plataformas para tener una primera lectura de análisis. ¿Qué otras preguntas quedan sin verificación en cuanto a la calidad del conocimiento? La Universidad pública y no arancelada debe acompañar esta etapa nueva frente al universo digital. ¿O estamos favoreciendo las diferencias?

Mega-sporting events today are central stages that not only feature professional athletes representing their country in competing for excellence, but also provide host nations with a universally legitimate way to present and promote their national identities and cultures on a global scale. This introduction to the special issue of Asian Business & Management on 'Mega-sporting events in Asia' suggests insights into the emerging field of research related to mega-events and sport and summarizes the history of mega-sporting events in Asia, linking the topic to the growing importance of sports and the interest shown by national governments and cities in staging sporting events in Asia. It also offers a general framework for understanding a range of conceptual and methodological issues related to defining and measuring the impact of mega-sporting events, indicating potential directions for further research.

SUMMARYEnhanced surveillance for infectious disease events, with accelerated routine reporting and daily supplementary reports, was undertaken during the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. We evaluated the surveillance outputs, reporting intervals and detection of World Cup-relevant events for the enhanced system. Outbreak numbers for measles, Norovirus and Campylobacter were significantly higher than in previous years, but all increases were explained by prior trends. The median interval (disease onset to receipt at national centre) fell from 17 days in 2005 to 12 days in 2006. Detection of World Cup-relevant events was 44% (8/18) in the routine system and 77% (14/18) in supplementary reports. We did not identify any significant effect on infectious disease epidemiology relating to the FIFA 2006 World Cup. Daily reporting improved timeliness, and supplementary reporting improved relevant event detection. Enhancing existing systems, without the addition of syndromic surveillance, can b...

This submission speaks to the need to protect labour rights and eliminate discrimination faced by migrant workers employed on vital climate-related infrastructure projects, such as renewable energy especially vulnerable migrant worker communities who are compelled to migrate to the due to climate-related disasters in their home countries. The submission is based upon an in-depth investigation conducted by Equidem into the human and labour rights violations facing climate impacted and other migrant workers from Asia and Africa employed in the renewables sector in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This research was conducted between February and November 2023 and included the perspectives of 48 migrant workers. The submission argues that business entities and states engaged in renewable energy projects in the UAE—a key component of climate change mitigation strategies—should be held accountable for human and labour rights impacts on climate impacted and other migrant workers they employ.

This submission speaks to heat stress among delivery service workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who experience heat stress in a context of other serious human and labour rights abuses, including forced labour conditions, that heighten risk of heat stress and prevent workers from
taking measures to protect their health and safety. Compounding these risks, many of these workers are also climate impacted migrants from Africa and Asia. It is based upon an in-depth investigation conducted by Equidem into the human and labour rights of delivery service workers
employed in the UAE, including the perspectives of 43 migrant workers interviewed between February and November 2023;  and 28 April and June 2024. Our data and analysis relate to the experience of workers travelling from Asia and Africa to the UAE. However, our submission has broader relevance with regard to the intersections between worker rights, climate change and the right to information.

Global sporting events bring a range of human rights risks, including exploitation of construction, security and hospitality workers – most of whom are migrants. Despite the stated requirement that all countries bidding to host FIFA tournaments should uphold international standards in protecting human rights as a criterion for selection, Saudi Arabia was chosen to host the 2023 Club World Cup and is exclusively being considered to host the 2034 World Cup. This is alarming considering systematic labour and human rights violations by this regime that stand in breach of FIFA’s binding human rights eligibility requirements.

In-depth, confidential, one-to-one interviews with 42 migrant workers conducted by Equidem from May – December 2023 and February 2020 – July 2021 documented significant labour and human rights violations facing migrant workers in the hospitality, maintenance and construction sectors in Saudi Arabia. All interviews were conducted by Equidem team members who are either currently or formerly migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, providing critical insight into working conditions for the 13.4 million migrant workers employed in Saudi Arabia.

Prior to the FIFA 2022 World Cup, Nordic news media emphasised their ambitions of persistently covering problematic aspects of this mega-event to be hosted in Qatar, a country subjected to severe criticism of its human rights breaches in the build-up to the event. Focusing on the genre of commentary journalism-a form committed to articulating opinions on social and cultural issues-this study illuminates how key Nordic news media argued for their views on the World Cup 2022. Drawing on empirical material from Danish and Norwegian broadcasters and tabloids, the study analyses commentaries (excluding "sports only" commentaries) published during the event, highlighting the types of arguments, the discourses they articulate or imply, and their attribution of agency to organisational actors. Although a critical and contextualising argumentation runs through commentaries made during the tournament, the reasoning changes its character to such a degree that it is pertinent to categorise the commentaries as reflecting two distinct discursive phases. Argumentation in the first phase sustains a critique of FIFA and the organiser. Arguments were typically formulated as personal attacks but tended to elaborate on their premises by providing fact-based background from investigations of power abuse. The argumentation in the second phase changes its character by more clearly emphasising the action needed to transform current problematic circumstances in accordance with stated goals, not least a reformation of FIFA. The commentators now tend to be less moralising and more diverse and reflective in how they argue for changes in the governance of mega-events in football.

Due to the worldwide negative impact on sport of the COVID-19 pandemic declared by the WHO in 2020, the first aim of this study was to analyze the influence of COVID-19 on performance indicators as a natural experiment, according to the moment in time: pre-COVID, COVID and post-COVID. The second aim was to analyze and ascertain the persistence of the performance indicators (PIs) over the analyzed seasons. To this end, 5320 teams’ match data corresponding to the 2014/2015 to 2020/2021 seasons of the LaLiga (first division of Spanish men’s soccer) were analyzed. All the seasons developed normally except the 2019/2020 season in which there was a three-month hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, representing a natural experiment without spectators. Statistical tests including ANOVA, general multivariate linear analysis with three independent variables (covidtime, venue and result) and an autocorrelation were performed. The results obtained showed that there were significant differenc...

BACKGROUND No existing instrument addresses the minimum number of items that guarantee methodological quality in studies based on observational methodology. Consequently, professionals who are not experts in observational methodology do not have a basic framework to guide their practice in this type of study. This study developed a checklist to measure the minimum number of items for methodological quality that studies based on observational methodology should consider and provided evidence of their validity based on test content and intercoder reliability. METHOD Fifty-four judges with at least 1 year of experience in observational methodology and research based on this methodology evaluated the items of the developed checklist in terms of relevance, usefulness, and feasibility. Items were selected if they obtained at least .5 in the Osterlind indexes of the three aspects evaluated. Two coders applied the selected items to a random selection of articles that used observational meth...

Objective: This systematic mixed study review, focuses on the use of observation methodology in elite men's football matches, which constitutes an innovative approach, that opens up a new panorama of useful and productive research. Method: The methods used in this study follow the recommendations for systematic reviews and meta-analysis guidelines (PRISMA). The search was carried out in five databases. Ninety-four articles out of 3,195 were selected and analyzed. In order to achieve a quality assessment, the guide was used to inform evaluations based on observation methodology (GREOM) (Portell et al., 2015), recognized by the EQUATOR network. Results: From the methodological review analysis, information obtained indicates that 97% of the researches used direct observation and 3% indirect observation. On the other hand, 56.5% of the articles explain the instrument used and 77% justify the applied observational design. A quantitative comparison of the proportions was made in several methodological aspects, which resulted in only 15.21% reviewing the quality of the data, and that 67.3% of the articles contributed to the mixed methods approach. The methodological review allowed us to establish procedural profiles. The results indicate that 67% of the articles have been published in English, and of these, 77% were published in journals that have an impact factor. The majority of the researchers, 53.26%, belong to Spanish entities. The most studied substantive aspects were goal (34%), possession of the ball (28%), and corner (27%). The most observed events were Leagues, World Cups, individual players and other events. Conclusions: The results obtained refer to both substantive and methodological aspects and allow us to configure a systematic review of mixed studies, in which we emphasize the aspects of a "systematic review" and a "mixed study," within an integrated perspective.