The Use of Football as a Country Branding Strategy. Case Study

Abstract

The main objective of this article is to analyse the sport place branding strategy of Qatar, a Persian Gulf country that is using the income from the commercialisation of its gas to create an economy, which can be successful in the future without depending on this natural source. Sport, above all football, has been a key sector in which the Qatari government believes in order to promote the image of its country worldwide. One of the most interesting examples used in this article is the relationship between the Qatar Foundation and FC Barcelona. Using a qualitative methodology, this article aims to understand the key pillars of this strategy and why sport mega-events have been so important when governments want to increase their reputation in the international sphere.

Sports mega-events, soft power and soft disempowerment: international supporters’ perspectives on Qatar’s acquisition of the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals

“…Notable research in this area includes: Amara's (2005) exploration into the political discourses surrounding the 2006 Asian Games; Campbell's (2011) study on the harvesting of athletic personnel to solidify nationalism; Foley et al's (2012) investigation into the use of sport to project images of safety and familiarity; Ginesta and San Eugenio's (2013) evaluation of the significance of sport for place branding; Rolim Silva's (2014) analysis on the role of sport within historical pursuits of nation building; and finally, Brannagan and Giulianotti's (2014a;2014b) examination of the soft power intentions and consequences of Qatar's global sports strategy. In providing a more fan-centred approach, we offer the first academic account to focus on, and give voice to, the intersubjective world of devoted international match-attending football supporters who perceive themselves to be affected by the decision to award Qatar the 22FWC.…”

Peace, sports diplomacy and corporate social responsibility: a case study of Football Club Barcelona Peace Tour 2013

“…64 Through this initiative, FC Barcelona thus demonstrates its ability to exercise international influence, articulated through a peace tour with the capacity to mobilise two historically divided peoples and to find agreement between two opposing politicians, the Israelis Shimon Peres and Benjamín Netanyahu. The club thereby not only reinforces the value of peace amongst its corporate attributes but also sets itself up as firm civic ambassador from the field of sport 65 , constituting itself as an actor which is legitimated by civil society. This is illustrated by the fact that, following the tour, the Israeli Ministry of Education started a programme through which the football teams from Israeli state schools train with the Barça corporate values:…”

“…Laporta's strategy of promoting non-profit social projects was continued to a certain degree by his successor, Sandro Rosell (2010Rosell ( -2014, although UNICEF was replaced as the main shirt-sponsor by the Qatar Foundation following the signing of an agreement with Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) on 13 December 2010, which would channel 165 million euros to FC Barcelona over six seasons. 44 Following this line, in recent years the club's foundation has set up numerous projects which are clearly committed to equal opportunities, human rights, freedom and democracy. 45 For quite some time Barça has been working for peace between Israel and Palestine, 46 "where 80% of the population of both territories feels a deep connection with and admiration for the club".…”

“…Whether through the establishment of relations of a humanitarian or paradiplomatic nature, the club aims to be active in the reconfiguration that global geopolitical actors are undergoing in the twenty-first century. 6 As the consulting firm Sport+Markt notes, Barça have 50 million fans in Europe alone 7 , and it is thus able to take advantage of its immense global prestige and following. Furthermore, a study by Francesc Pujol and Quique Gallemí from the University of Navarra asserts that the Barça brand is the most powerful of all sports brands.…”

Building a Place Brand on Local Assets: The Case of The Pla de l’Estany District and Its Rebranding

“…In fact, place branding has become a discipline that has been growing constantly since the territories have taken advantage of great events, especially great sports events such as the Olympic Games or the FIFA World Cup, to open windows of opportunities for their promotion in international markets of tourists, talent and investment [17]. Unfortunately, it is not easy for these events to become part of a long-term and global strategy of territorial branding beyond immediate touristic promotion.…”