America’s Game in the Middle East: The 2027 Qatar World Cup | Roundtable Meeting I

On November 10 and 11, 2024, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) held the first research workshop under its research initiative, America’s Game in the Middle East: The 2027 Qatar World Cup. The purpose of the two-day meeting was to discuss and provide feedback on a collection of drafts submitted for the project. Scholars, practitioners, and experts working on the topic of basketball in the region were convened for the meeting from around the globe. The topics discussed included the development of the game in Lebanon, Turkey, and Egypt, the hosting of the 2027 men’s World Cup in Qatar, Saudi Arabia’s interest in developing the game, China’s sponsorship, the use of social media, and female basketball players, among others.

The discussion started with a look at Turkey’s long history of basketball with a focus on Karamürsel. Onur Yildirim explored the social and cultural impact of the American military presence in Karamürsel, Turkey, during the Cold War era (1950s-1970s), focusing on basketball as a medium of cultural exchange. He discussed that Karamürsel an American military airbase, the Karamürsel Airbase, established in 1957, which served as a gateway for introducing American culture to the town. Basketball emerged as a significant avenue for cultural interaction between Americans and locals, with American personnel from the base participating in the local sports club, Karamürsel Gençlik. From 1969 to 1979, American volunteers played alongside local players, helping the team win regional championships and popularizing basketball among the town’s youth. The departure of American personnel following the transfer of the base to the Turkish military led to changes in the town’s cultural landscape, but the influence of basketball and American culture persisted. Yildirim will use interviews with local and American basketball players and community members to analyze how basketball facilitated cultural exchange between the American base and the local community. The final paper will aim to explore the broader social and cultural implications of the Cold War era in Karamürsel, highlighting how activities like basketball fostered cross-cultural interaction and understanding in the context of global geopolitics.

The next session examined the historical origins and development of basketball in Lebanon. Nadim El Kak expressed that the Middle East is increasingly investing in sports, with basketball gaining prominence. Lebanon stands out as one of only six countries worldwide where basketball is arguably the most popular sport. He provided a historical timeline of basketball’s development in the country from the 1920s to the late 1990s. He highlighted that the recently established FIBA and NBA outreach programs, and international recruitment of Lebanese basketball professionals, hint at the emergence of a new golden generation. He also argued that basketball in Lebanon serves as a catalyst for cross-confessional solidarity, community building, national pride, job creation, and youth role model as well as a stage for political co-optation, sectarian tensions, exclusionary discourses, weak governance, and uncompetitive business practices. Using archival resources and original interviews, he aims to look at lessons and challenges from the Lebanese experience as the Gulf region increases its investments in basketball.

Next Can Evren argued that the recent developments in sports economics, such as Qatar hosting FIFA and FIBA World Cups and the potential EuroLeague expansion to Dubai, challenge traditional conceptual frameworks of global sports history. These developments cross established continental and regional boundaries in sports, which were formalized by world sports federations like FIFA and FIBA in the early 1960s. His work aims to reassess the sport’s history through a contractual lens, focusing on the more flexible, event-based contracts of the early postwar period. Istanbul’s basketball scene in the early postwar era serves as a case study for alternative original stories that don’t align with current continental divisions in sports. Istanbul hosted international basketball tournaments in the early 1950s, featuring teams from diverse regions. The Mediterranean Games are presented as a surviving remnant of this early trans-regional sports history. He argued that it is important to uncover these early trans-regional histories and develop new conceptual frameworks for sports historiography. This historical perspective is deemed crucial for informing public debate on current challenges in sports as commercial economies and popular cultures undergo new waves of trans-regional expansion.

Discussing Lebanese female basketball players, Assile Toufaily narrated that Lebanese basketball has become a prominent force in Middle Eastern basketball, with significant growth since Antoine Choueiri’s investment. The men’s national team has competed in multiple FIBA World Cups, and clubs like Al Riyadi and Sagesse have won multiple Asian Cup titles. The women’s national team ranks among the top ten in Asia, with some players receiving professional contracts abroad. However, female athletes in the region face numerous obstacles in pursuing professional sports careers, often leading to early retirement. She aims to provide insight into the development of women’s basketball in Lebanon and examine factors contributing to its growth. Her work will focus on how women’s basketball developed in Lebanon, what factors contributed to its rise, and the role of the American college basketball system in this development. Toufaily aims to explore the connection between Lebanese American players in the US college system and the development of the Lebanese women’s national team.

Addressing the role of social media and the rise of female basketball, Nida Ahmad added that the overall women’s participation in sports in the MENA region has grown over the last two decades.  Social media has become an important tool for sportswomen in the MENA region to share their experiences and increase visibility. The growth of women’s basketball globally and the WNBA’s expansion into Toronto, Canada, illustrate the increasing popularity and globalization of women’s sports. She aims to explore the progress of women’s basketball in the MENA region by examining how women basketball players such as professional players like Soraya Mohamed, known as “Queen of the People,” are represented on social media platforms. Her research seeks to explore the intersection of social media, women’s basketball, and sports participation in the MENA region, reflecting the growing importance of both women’s sports and digital platforms in shaping athletic landscapes globally and regionally.

Shifting the focus to traditional media and the journalistic role in the coverage of sporting events, Claudia Kozman argued that there is a strong interdependence between sports organizations and media, with each reinforcing the other's popularity and profitability. She highlighted that media played six journalistic roles, including loyal-facilitator, watchdog, and infotainment in sports journalism. While historically seen as “cheerleaders,” recent research shows sports journalists also acting as watchdogs and providing infotainment. Her paper will examine the relationship between journalistic roles and sources in the coverage of Qatar’s preparations to host the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Using comparative quantitative content analysis of Qatari and international media, the study will measure the relationship between journalistic role performance and sourcing relying on a media systems approach. This work would expand understanding of journalistic cultures in sports coverage and how professional role performance in covering a major sports event varies across countries. It will also aim to provide insights into how different media outlets and cultures approach sports journalism, particularly in the context of a significant international event like the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Danyel Reiche then explored the key elements of Qatar’s investment in Monumental. In July 2023, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) became a minority investor in Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), a Washington D.C.-based sports and venue management company. QIA reportedly bought a 5% stake in MSE for approximately $200 million.  This investment was made possible by an NBA rule change in late 2022 that allowed sovereign wealth funds to buy up to 20% stakes in franchises. QIA became the first national sovereign wealth fund to invest in American basketball. The investment received critical reactions in local D.C. media, with concerns raised about ethics and sportswashing. Some critics argued that Qatar’s involvement in U.S. sports could be seen as complicity in funding terrorism, given Qatar’s alleged support for Hamas. Reiche’s works aim to examine the QIA-MSE deal in the context of academic literature on sportswashing, considering perspectives from QIA, MSE, NBA, and WNBA. He will explore the motives of different stakeholders involved in this investment and relate them to theoretical discussions on sportswashing.

In the next session, Jung Woo Lee discussed how basketball is increasingly influenced by non-Western stakeholders, particularly Chinese corporations. The 2027 FIBA World Cup in Doha presents a unique situation where it provides an opportunity for FIBA’s Chinese sponsors to strengthen their presence in the Arab world. It also potentially creates a point of collision for American and Chinese geoeconomic interests in the Middle East. China’s involvement in FIBA sponsorship is seen as a political choice to diversify its public diplomacy networks and showcase its ambitions in the global sports industry. Qatar and China have existing cooperative relationships, including within the Belt and Road Initiative and financial sector collaborations. The event occurs in a context of shifting power balances in the Middle East, with the US and China competing for strategic and economic hegemony in the Arab world. Gulf states like Qatar are leveraging their position to safeguard national interests amidst this geopolitical struggle. The 2027 FIBA World Cup in Doha represents a complex interplay of diplomacy, involving the spread of an American cultural product, financed largely by Chinese capital, to a Qatari audience. Lee’s work aims to examine the nuanced sports diplomacy involving Qatar’s relationships with both China and the US in the context of this basketball tournament.

Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff discussed in the next session basketball’s role in diplomacy and global development, with a particular focus on its potential impact in the Middle East. She highlighted that basketball can be utilized as a tool for globalization and addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly at the intersection of gender, race, ethnicity, and migration. The establishment of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) is an example of basketball’s potential beyond sports. The upcoming 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup in Qatar is a focal point for exploring basketball diplomacy in the Middle East. Using interviews with FIBA officials and members of Middle Eastern sporting and diplomatic communities, her paper, co-authored with J Simon Rofe, will highlight the sport’s global appeal and its capacity to engage with local contexts and actors, potentially offering a more authentic form of sports diplomacy compared to other initiatives in the region.

Sebastian Sons highlighted that Saudi Arabia is using sports investments as a significant part of its economic diversification strategy, which includes job creation efforts, and fostering international business and political relationships. Sports serve as a driver for economic modernization, social liberalization, and national identity construction in Saudi Arabia during this transitional period. While previous academic discussions focused on football, Formula 1, and golf, basketball has emerged as another important pillar in Saudi Arabia’s sports engagement strategy. The Saudi government is investing in domestic basketball infrastructure, training facilities, and educational programs, particularly targeting youth and female participation. Internationally, the Saudi sovereign wealth funds Public Investment Fund (PIF) is becoming a global player in sports business, with plans to enter the US market and potentially the NBA. Saudi Arabia is hosting various sports mega-events (SMEs) and may consider organizing basketball tournaments as part of its future sports policy. Sons argued that basketball serves multiple purposes for Saudi Arabia, including, national identity construction, nation branding, power consolidation, and sports diplomacy. His paper will aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of Saudi Arabia’s basketball policies and future plans, contributing to the broader discussion on the kingdom’s sports strategy.

Addressing the Jr. NBA tournament hosted in Doha, Morgan Fisher and Amy Walker highlighted that youth participation in organized sports has positive effects on physical and mental health, academic performance, and social skills. The Jr. NBA Leagues, a collaborative initiative between the NBA and WNBA, was created in 2022 to provide American youth access to basketball. In 2022, the Jr. NBA Leagues expanded to Abu Dhabi, UAE, and in April 2024, it launched in Qatar, hosted by the Qatar Foundation. Their study aims to understand the perceptions of parents and coaches as adult stakeholders in the inaugural season of the Jr. NBA League in Qatar. With a focus on how the expansion of the Jr. NBA Leagues in Qatar has influenced youth growth and development and the perceptions of adult stakeholders, the study will use snowball sampling to identify participants and employ coding and hermeneutics-based interpretation for analysis. Their work aims to fill a gap in understanding the impact of the Jr. NBA Leagues’ expansion in the Middle East, specifically in Qatar, from the perspective of adult stakeholders.

Focusing on the game’s popularity and Qatar’s potential to host the 2027 World Cup, Nadim Nassif outlined that Qatar has emerged as a global powerhouse in hosting major sports events, with its capital, Doha, consistently listed in the Ranking of Sports Cities since 2012. Following the successful organization of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Doha achieved its highest position to date, ranking 11th in 2023. This rise in prominence aligns with Qatar’s strategic objectives to strengthen its soft power, enhance foreign diplomacy, and improve national security. As part of this strategy, Qatar will become the first Arab country to host the men’s FIBA World Cup in 2027. The research aims to measure the global popularity of basketball and evaluate how hosting this event will impact Qatar’s international exposure and geopolitical positioning. To achieve this, the study will utilize the World Ranking of Countries in Elite Sport (WRCES), which assesses sports popularity through a complex methodology that considers global media presence, with consideration to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) coefficient of each country. By identifying sports featured on major websites in the respective country, and scoring their prominence, the WRCES will provide a comprehensive analysis of basketball’s global media popularity and how the upcoming World Cup could further enhance Qatar’s role in international sports diplomacy.

Craig LaMay discussed the NBA’s expanding ambitions in the Middle East, highlighting its significant potential in the region and Europe, which is estimated to be worth up to $3 billion annually. The league has established partnerships with FIBA and EuroLeague, and developed relationships with the UAE and Qatar. The NBA accounts for 91% of basketball’s global value, primarily from domestic media rights, and will see the 2027 FIBA World Championships in Qatar as a test of the region’s potential in the sport’s growth. Additionally, the NBA has a multifaceted deal with Abu Dhabi that includes pre-season games, junior leagues, and promotional events. The league has allowed investments from sovereign wealth funds, leading to the Qatar Investment Authority acquiring a stake in the Washington Wizards’ ownership group. However, challenges remain, including providing Arabic content, adapting to local time zones, developing regional gameplay, and navigating human rights concerns. LaMay’s paper aims to examine the future of professional basketball in the Middle East, considering the ambitions of the NBA and Gulf states, as well as cooperation with FIBA and EuroLeague.

The last session focused on Egypt and the development of basketball in the country. Ashraf Elmidani, Kamilla Swart and Gerard Akindes outlined that since 1974, Egypt has won thirteen out of twenty-four Arab Basketball Championship titles and secured five AfroBasket championships, also finishing second and third multiple times. As the most populous Middle Eastern nation, Egypt has been a pioneering sports country, being the first in the region to participate in major international competitions like the FIFA World Cup, Olympics, and FIBA World Championship. Egypt was instrumental in establishing FIBA Afrique (originally AFABA), playing a leading role in African sports confederations. Their work aims to explore Egypt’s basketball history through secondary data and interviews, examining its leadership in establishing continental basketball organizations, its consistent performance in regional competitions, and its position in the contemporary, globalized basketball landscape, including the emergence of the Basketball Africa League and increasing NBA influence in Africa and the Middle East.

• For the roundtable agenda, click here.
• For the participants’ biographies, click here.
• For the research initiative, click here.

Participants and Discussants:

• Nida Ahmad, Independent researcher and Consultant
• Gerard A. Akindes
• Zahra Babar, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar
• Misba Bhatti, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar
• Nadim El Kak, American University of Beirut
• Ashraf ELmidani,
• Can Evren, Boston University
• Morgan D. Fisher, Georgetown University in Qatar
• Noor Hussain, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar
• Claudia Kozman, Northwestern University in Qatar
• Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff, New York University
• Craig LaMay, Northwestern University
• Jung Woo Lee, University of Edinburgh
• Nadim Nassif, Notre Dame University
• Danyel Reiche, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar
• Sebastian Sons, Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient (CARPO)
• Kamilla Swart, Hamad Bin Khalifa University
• Assile Toufaily, PhD candidate
• Amy S. Walker, Georgetown University in Qatar
• Elizabeth Wanucha, CIRS – Georgetown University in Qatar
• Onur Yildirim, Middle East Technical University in Ankara

Article by Misba Bhatti, Research Analyst at CIRS