The Business of the FIFA World Cup by Chadwick, Simon; Widdop, Paul; Anagnostopoulos, Christos;

Short description:

Now in a fully revised and updated new edition, this book offers expert insight into the business and management of the FIFA World Cup, arguably the biggest sporting event in the world.

Long description:

Now in a fully revised and updated new edition, this book offers expert insight into the business and management of the FIFA World Cup, arguably the biggest sporting event in the world. 

The book takes the reader from the initial stages of bidding and hosting decisions, through the planning, organisation, and delivery phases, to assessment of the longer-term legacies of the competition. It introduces the global context in which the World Cup takes place, surveying the history and evolution of the tournament and the geopolitical background against which bidding and hosting decisions are made. It examines all the key issues and debates which surround the tournament, from governance and corruption to security and the media, and looks closely at the technical processes that create the event, from planning and finance to marketing and fan engagement. Analysis of the Women’s World Cup is embedded in every chapter, and the book also considers the significance of World Cup tournaments at the age-group level. This edition also includes new chapters on technology, officials, and the forthcoming tournaments in Canada, Mexico, and the United States in 2026 and Brazil in 2027. 

No sport business or management course is complete without some discussion of the FIFA World Cup, so this book is essential reading for any student, researcher, or sport business professional looking to deepen their understanding of the global sport industry.

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction  2. A Brief History of the FIFA World Cup as a Business  3. Bidding and Hosting Decisions  4. Competition Design of the World Cup  5. An Integrity System Framework for the Governance of the Football World Cups  6. Environment and Sustainability of FIFA World Cups  7. Rethinking Football Innovation: Why Women’s Football Can Lead the Next Era  8. Finance of the FIFA World Cup  9. Planning and Organising FIFA World Cups  10. Planning, Sourcing, and Managing Resources for FIFA World Cups  11. Mental Health, Decision-Making, and the World Cup Spotlight: Refereeing Under Pressure  12. Engaging Fans at FIFA World Cups  13. Managing Risk and Security  14. Marketing, Sponsorship, and Merchandising  15. Broadcasting and the FIFA World Cup: Satellite Technology, Privatisation, and Digitalisation  16. The Business of FIFA World Cup: Digital and Social Media  17. Sport and Statecraft as the Lasting Legacies of Qatar 2022  18. Legal Challenges for the 2026 and 2027 FIFA World Cups  19. The FIFA World Cup from an AFC Perspective  20. CAF's World Cup Ambition: Strategy and Participation in 2026 and 2027  21. The World Gets Concacaf’d  22. CONMEBOL and the Future of South American Football: Men’s and Women’s Development Ahead of the 2026–2027 World Cups  23. FIFA World Cups, Civic Engagement, and the Development of Football in Oceania  24. Power, Governance, and Welfare in the FIFA World Cup: Europe’s Central Role  25. The Challenges and Opportunities Posed by a Multi-Host Model: FIFA’s North American Push  26. Looking Ahead to the 2027 Women’s World Cup