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.