Football in the Middle East

In 2019, the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) launched a new research initiative on “Football in the Middle East.” The aim of this research effort is to provide original academic insight on the political, economic, and social dynamics of football within the region. The project will adopt a multidisciplinary approach, examining a broad range of political, social, and cultural dimensions of the sport. It aims to explore a wide range of topics, including the relationship between the sport and international relations and issues related to gender, tourism, social mobility, media broadcasting rights, the 2022 World Cup, and sports infrastructure.

Background and Scope of the Project

Working Group Meetings

Click here to read about Football in the Middle East Working Group IClick here to read about Football in the Middle East Working Group II As part of its Research and Scholarship initiatives, CIRS…

Publication

To cite this publication: Al-Arian, Abdullah, ed. Football in the Middle East: State, Society, and the Beautiful Game (London: Hurst/Oxford University Press, 2022). Far and away the most popular sport in the world, football has a special place in Middle Eastern societies, and for Middle Eastern states. With Qatar hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, this region has been cast into the global footballing spotlight, raising issues of geopolitical competition,…