LEVERAGING SPORTS FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY OUTCOMES: THE CASE OF QATAR’S FIFA WORLD CUP 2022

Authors : Alioune Aboutalib LO

Pages : 33-49

View : 22 | Download : 10

Publication Date : 2023-03-19

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :In 2008, Qatar launched its “Qatar National Vision 2030” which aimed to transform the country into a sustainable and thriving knowledge-based economy. The Middle Eastern country aimed also to be attractive and to upgrade its global status. With this in mind, Qatar focused on Sports and Football in particular, to produce soft power, and the FIFA World Cup 2022 was the key element of this strategy. Therefore, this article analyzes Qatar’s sports diplomacy and in particular, the strategic reasons behind the host of the FIFA World Cup 2022. There is still a lack of academic studies pointing out the interesting framework of the use of sports and Football in particular, as a diplomatic tool, and the World Cup in Qatar is a case that deserves to be studied in depth. Using descriptive analysis, this article underlines the strategic objectives and tools behind Qatar’s sports diplomacy and the World Cup, by focusing on official statements, documents, speeches of Qatari leaders, and journalistic resources. The article argues that Qatar leveraged Football and the 2022 FIFA World Cup as public diplomacy tools to improve its global image. Media and broadcasting, ambassadorship, Sponsorship, the French club of Paris Saint-Germain, infrastructures and technology, and naturalizing talent were key instruments of Qatar’s Football and World Cup diplomacy.
Keywords : Spor diplomasisi, Qatar, Yumuşak Güç, FIFA Dünya Kupası, Country Branding