FIFA and the Contest for World Football

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In this comprehensive study, the authors explore FIFA's significant role in shaping and controlling world football. Through interviews with over seventy influential leaders and exclusive documentary sources, they highlight FIFA's impact on twentieth-century sport and its place in a global consumer culture. The first section delves into FIFA's origins and organizational structure, alongside the European and South American federations. The second part examines the emergence of new, powerful players within FIFA following the collapse of empires. The book analyzes football's contributions to nationalism and anti-imperialism, as well as its exploitation by corrupt officials and political leaders. It also discusses the sport's expansion driven by commercial interests and its influence in Africa, Asia, and the USA. The evaluation of FIFA's global mission and rhetoric adds depth to the discussion. This work is a crucial addition to the politics and social history of sport, as well as the sociology of the global system and the evolving world order. It appeals to students and researchers in sport studies, cultural studies, and the sociology of popular culture, as well as anyone interested in the social organization of one of the world's most beloved sports.