1
CEVRO UNIVERZITA
Title: Football & Politics (KOMBI)
Instructor: Jakub Wondreys (jakub.wondreys@cevro.cz)
Date & Time: Mon 17:00-18:20
Room: d223
Brazil captain Sócrates at the 1986 World Cup with a headband “Yes to Love, No to Terror,” a response
to the recent US bombing of Libya. Photograph: Bongarts/Getty Images
Course introduction & Objectives
“I just happened to be good at football, which gave me entrance to a very different and
privileged environment…If people do not have the power to say things, then I will say it for
them. While I was a footballer, my legs amplified my voice.”
– Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira
Football is the most popular and widely played sport in the world, and its social, cultural, and
political relevance is unparalleled. Politics and sport have always been closely intertwined, and
given football’s central role in many societies, this connection is particularly pronounced.
Political actors routinely use football for symbolic, diplomatic, or strategic purposes, while
football itself shapes political identities, national narratives, and even political conflicts.
Understanding these dynamics is essential for grasping the broader political significance of
sport. This course provides an introduction to the key intersections between football and politics
from a comparative and historical perspective. Students will explore how football influences
political processes, how political systems engage with and instrumentalize football, and how
issues such as nationalism, identity, social movements, globalization, and soft power manifest
through the game.
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By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain how political actors use football domestically and internationally;
• Identify the political dimensions, implications, and consequences of football at local,
national, and global levels;
• Apply core political science concepts, such as authoritarianism, nationalism,
democracy, and political communication, to the study of football;
• Analyze contemporary and historical cases where football and politics intersect,
including mega-events, protest movements, international diplomacy, and regime
legitimation;
• Demonstrate a more comprehensive understanding of politics through the lens of sport.
The course will combine lectures, discussions, case studies, and media analysis. No prior
knowledge of football is required; students of all backgrounds are welcome.
Readings and other resources
You are expected to complete all required readings and to listen to or watch the audio and video
materials listed in the syllabus (according to the course schedule below). The only exceptions
are materials explicitly marked as “optional.” These optional resources are intended to help you
better understand the required readings, deepen your knowledge of specific topics, and
potentially inspire ideas for your final paper. Failure to complete the mandatory materials prior
to class will be evident in limited participation during class discussions. You should engage
with the assigned materials in the order in which they appear in the course schedule.
There are two required readings that you are expected to buy or borrow (either in physical or
online form):
Kuper, S (2020). Soccer against the Enemy: How the World’s Most Popular Sport
Starts and Fuels Revolutions and Keeps Dictators in Power. New York: Bold Type
Books, 3rd edition
Montague, J (2021). 1312: Among the Ultras: A journey with the world’s most
extreme fans. London: Ebury Press
All other required texts and additional resources will be shared with you and accessible either
directly through the syllabus or via the shared drive. The shared drive also includes materials
that can be a valuable resource for improving your academic writing skills, and you are
encouraged to consult these when working on your written assignments.
Classroom Attendance and Activity
This class will only meet twice this semester. The attendance of the first class on 20.2.2026 is
not mandatory, however, it is strongly encouraged. Students learn much more when they come
to class and participate in the class discussions. Moreover, participation is part of your final
grade and will be based primarily on your in-class performance (see below).
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You are required to attend the second class on 27.3.2026 to fulfill your presentation
assignment (see below). Absences are only excused in cases of a documented acute medical
issue or another relevant, valid reason (in these cases, we will find an adequate replacement
date solution).
Course Evaluation
Participation (15%)
This course will require a great deal of discussion and active listening. Simply showing up to
class does not constitute participation. Your participation grade will be evaluated based on
your ability to draw upon insights from the readings, the depth of the thoughtfulness of your
questions/comments, and your activeness in class. If you do not attend, you cannot
participate.
Presentation (35%)
Each student is required to give one short in-class presentation during the second course
meeting (27.3.2026). You will choose a topic and case study (or cases) that relates to the core
focus of the course. Your presentation topic should also serve as the basis for your final essay
(see below).
You may draw inspiration from the assigned readings listed in the syllabus, but you are also
free to choose another relevant topic, as long as it fits the course’s thematic scope. The goal of
the presentation is not to cover everything, but to identify and explain the key dynamics of
your chosen case(s) in a clear and structured way—and to help you develop a strong foundation
for your final paper.
Time structure (20 minutes total):
• 10–15 minutes presentation
• 5–10 minutes feedback and discussion
Final Essay (50%)
In the final essay (2,500–3,000 words), you will use a case study (or multiple cases) to
respond to some (not necessarily all) of the key questions of the course. Unlike the
presentation, the essay should go beyond description and develop a clear, well-supported
argument.
Possible (interrelated) research questions include:
• How does politics affect football, and vice versa?
• What forms do these interactions usually take?
• Is football a useful tool for politicians to advance their agenda—and is this good or bad?
• Should footballers (as public figures) and clubs/governing bodies (as influential
institutions) be politically active?
• Is the political activism of these actors good or bad for democracy?
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You are expected to support your claims with evidence, using reliable academic and other
credible sources, all cited properly. You should use the compulsory readings for context and
comparison, and you are encouraged to draw on the optional/additional readings as
inspiration and as a starting point for further research. In addition, using relevant outside sources
(e.g., academic books/articles, reputable reports) is expected.
You are encouraged to consult your topic choice with the instructor in advance. If you are
unsure what to focus on, I am happy to suggest possible topics/cases.
Late submissions will be penalized (1% of the overall course grade per day late).
Grading:
A. 90 – 100 points
B. 80 – 89 points
C. 70 – 79 points
D. 60 – 69 points
E. 50 – 59 points
F. less than 50 points
Specific Course Rules
ChatGPT / AI Tools
You may use AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) to develop ideas, get started on a project, or improve
your language and writing. However, you are fully responsible for any AI-generated material
you incorporate into your course assignments. If you include AI-generated content, you must
cite it like any other source. All information used in assignments must be verified, ideas must
be properly attributed, and factual claims must be accurate.
You may NOT use AI to write your assignment for you. Submitting an assignment that
is wholly or substantially AI-generated constitutes academic misconduct and will result
in FAILING the course.
Disclaimer
The course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by
the instructor may be necessary.
Course Schedule and Assignments
1. Introduction
Listening and Watching:
Kupper, S. (2021). Football and Politics (RADIKAAL podcast). Available at:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1134467/9589770
DW Kick off (2023). WHAT Argentina tells us about the power of football.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Yfm3ems1ow
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2. Football & Politics: Three Discourses
Readings:
Grix, J., James, M. The politicisation of sport and the principle of political neutrality: a
contradiction in terms?. Int Sports Law J 24, 68–77 (2024).
Orwell, G. (1945) The Sporting Spirit. Tribune,
December. https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-
other-works/the-sporting-spirit/
Bar-On, T. (2017) Three Soccer Discourses. Soccer & Society, 18(2-3), 188-203.
OPTIONAL
Luckhurst, T. (2019). Honduras v El Salvador: The football match that kicked off a war
June 27. BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-48673853
ABC News (2001). Game of Soccer Gets Nobel Peace Nomination’. January 23
https://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=81640&page=1
Gramsci, A. (1971). Selections from Prison Notebooks. London: Lawrence and Wishart.
Tuathail, G. (2003). Thinking Critically about Geopolitics. In Tuathail G., Dalby, S., and
Routledge P. The Geopolitics Reader. London: Taylor and Francis, 1-12.
3. Democracy, Civil Society & Football
Readings:
Lago, I., Lago-Peñas, C. & Lago-Peñas, S. (2016) Democracy and Football. Social Science
Quarterly, 97: 1282-1294. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.12281
Butterworth, M.L. (2007) The Politics of the Pitch: Claiming and Contesting Democracy
Through the Iraqi National Soccer Team, Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, 4:2,
184-203, DOI: 10.1080/14791420701296554
Mudde, C. (2025) Soccer as Civil Society. In Bowman, K. & Boyd, J.B. (eds.). Soccer,
Globalization, and Innovation: The Beautiful Game in the 21st Century.
London: Routledge, 23-37.
Knijnik, J. (2014) Playing for freedom: Sócrates, futebol-arte and democratic struggle in
Brazil, Soccer & Society, 15:5, 635-654, DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2014.912014
OPTIONAL
Simón, J.A. & García-Martí, C. (2022) ‘Gold slaves’: unionism and football in Spain during
the democratic transition , Sport in Society, 25:11, 2268-2283, DOI:
10.1080/17430437.2021.1932821
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Diamond, L. (1990) Three paradoxes of democracy. Journal of Democracy, 1(3), 48-60.
Schmitter, P.C., & Karl, T.L. (1991). What Democracy Is. . . and Is Not. Journal of
Democracy 2(3), 75-88. https://doi.org/10.1353/jod.1991.0033.
Morlino, L. (2004) What is a ‘good’ democracy?. Democratization, 11(5), 10-32, DOI:
10.1080/13510340412331304589
4. Authoritarianism, Totalitarianism, Sportwashing & Football
Watch:
DW Kick off! (2022). WHY football is complicit in Putin's war.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dXvvZU77Ao&list=PLeEtWQYUQ8QdZLq0TTlCq95s
ETSog_4IW&index=17
Is Trump giving the FIFA World Cup a MAGA makeover? | BBC Americast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8keOLTGAZA (alternatively listen on:
https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/w3ct8byt)
Readings:
Adam, R. (2020) Football and authoritarianism in twentieth century Romania: between
propaganda and subversion, Soccer & Society, 21:6, 657-666, DOI:
10.1080/14660970.2020.1775043
Bromberger, C. (2020) Football and the authoritarian regime in Iran, Soccer & Society, 21:6,
692-698, DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2020.1775046
Ganji, S. K. (2022). How Qatar Became a World Leader in Sportswashing, Journal
of Democracy, November. https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/how-qatar-became-a-world-
leader-in-sportswashing/
OPTIONAL
Irak, D. (2020) Football in Turkey during the Erdoğan regime, Soccer & Society, 21:6, 680-
691, DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2020.1775045
Bar-On, T (2018) Reflections on soccer, sovereignty and the state of exception. Soccer &
Society, 19:4, 534-559, DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2016.1221824
Necsutu, M (2021). Football as Tool of Soft Power in Hungary’s Hands. Balkan Insight.
September 27 https://balkaninsight.com/2021/09/27/football-as-tool-of-soft-power-in-
hungarys-hands/
Zidan, K. (2017). Return of football to Aleppo highlights regime’s political theatrics |
openDemocracy
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Glasius, M. (2018) What authoritarianism is … and is not: a practice perspective,
International Affairs, 94 (3), 515–533, https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiy060
Lipset, S. M. (1959). Democracy and Working-Class Authoritarianism. American
Sociological Review, 24(4), 482–501. https://doi.org/10.2307/2089536
Levitsky, S., & Way, L. A. (2002). The rise of competitive authoritarianism. Journal of
Democracy, 13(2), 51-65.
Watch:
DW Kick off! (2024a). HOW Germany’s Nazis hijacked football.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlmPyCchrXM
DW Kick off! (2024b). WHY did Newcastle fans welcome Saudi Arabia?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtNX1QSztYc
5. Nationalism, Identity, & Football
Readings:
Duerr, G.M.E. (2017) Civic integration or ethnic segregation? Models of ethnic and civic
nationalism in club football/soccer, Soccer & Society, 18:2-3, 204-217, DOI:
10.1080/14660970.2016.1166767
Hassan, D. & Ferguson, K. (2019) Still as divided as ever? Northern Ireland, football and
identity 20 years after the Good Friday Agreement, Soccer & Society, 20:7-8, 1071-1083,
DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2019.1680504
Palmer, C. (2009) Soccer and the politics of identity for young Muslim refugee women in
South Australia, Soccer & Society, 10:1, 27-38
Molnar, G., & Whigham, S. (2021). Radical right populist politics in Hungary: Reinventing
the Magyars through sport. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 56(1), 133-148.
OPTIONAL
Özvatan, Ö. (2019). Radical-right backlash against Games of Belonging: the case of Mesut
Özil | openDemocracy
Krasnoff, L. S. (2017). Devolution of Les Bleus as a Symbol of a Multicultural French
History. Soccer & Society, 18(2-3), 311-319.
Anderson, B. (1991) Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of
Nationalism. London: Verso.
Mylonas, H. & Tudor, M. (2023). Varieties of Nationalism. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
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6. Xenophobia, (Anti-)Racism & Football
Watch:
DW Kick off! (2024). WHY we see black and white footballers differently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RyBrRKqL0c
Readings:
Braneck, D. (2019). Far-Right Extremism Divides Germany’s Most Notorious Soccer Derby.
The Nation. November 10 https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/berlin-wall-germany-
soccer/
Mashigo, P., van Sterkenburg, J., De la Hera, T., & Ferreira Goncalves, J. F. (2025). One
rotten apple or a rotten tree: football leaders’ perceptions of racism in European
football. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 48(5), 1087–1109.
Horvath, K. & Rosenberg, J. (2010). EUROSCHOOLS 2008: The Difficult
Relationship of Culture, Nation and Anti-Racism in UEFA’s Campaign Work. Soccer &
Society, 11(6), 829-842.
Dixon, K., Lowe, J., and Gibbons, T. (2016) Show Racism The Red Card: potential barriers to
the effective implementation of the anti-racist message, Soccer & Society, 17:1, 140-
154, DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2014.919280
OPTIONAL
Tamir; I. & Bernstein, A. (2015) Do they even know the national anthem? Minorities in
service of the flag – Israeli Arabs in the national football team, Soccer & Society, 16:5-6, 745-
764, DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2014.963316
Kassimeris, C. (2011) Fascism, separatism and the ultràs: discrimination in Italian
football, Soccer & Society, 12:5, 677-688, DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2011.599586
Kassimeris, C., Lawrence, S. & Pipini, M (2022). Racism in Football. Soccer & Society,
23(8), 824-833.
Moran, R (2000). Racism in Football: A Victim’s Perspective. Soccer & Society, 1(1), 190-
200.
Gender, Sexuality, & Football
Readings:
Caudwell, J. (2011) Gender, feminism and football studies, Soccer & Society, 12:3, 330-344,
DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2011.568099
Azad, C. (2024) Instagram as a tool of ‘social navigation’: women’s soccer in the Islamic
Republic of Iran - between censorship and (r)evolution, Soccer & Society, 25:2, 240-255,
DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2023.2265198
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Bertho, B., Grange-Omokaro,F., Douna, I. M., & Malatesta, D. (2024) Playing football in
Cameroon as a girl: a match for equality, Soccer & Society, 25:2, 225-239, DOI:
10.1080/14660970.2023.2265197
Cashmore, E. and Cleland, J. (2012), Fans, homophobia and masculinities in association
football: evidence of a more inclusive environment. The British Journal of Sociology, 63:
370-387.
OPTIONAL
Cashmore E., Dixon, K. & Cleland, J. (2023) Why are There STILL No Gay Professional
Association Football Players in Men’s Major Leagues? Revisiting the Views of Football Fans
in the United Kingdom, Journal of Homosexuality, 70:8, 1653-1673, DOI:
10.1080/00918369.2022.2040927
Dixon, K., Cleland, J., & Cashmore E. (2023) Banter and the rise of LGBTQ+ awareness in
football cultures: a bourdieusian approach, Soccer & Society, DOI:
10.1080/14660970.2023.2288835
Fossard, B. (2024) Women footballers in Indochina: a place in the stadium?, Soccer &
Society, 25:2, 161-173, DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2023.2265199
Eskandari, Z.T., (2022) ‘We support football in our heart’: female football fandom in Iran,
Soccer & Society, 23:3, 258-270, DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2022.2037208
Magrath, R. (2021). Gay Male Football Fans’ Experiences: Authenticity, Belonging and
Conditional Acceptance. Sociology, 55(5), 978-994.
Soccer against the Enemy
Readings:
Kuper, S. Soccer against the Enemy. Chapters: 1 to 21
OPTIONAL
Kuper, S. Soccer against the Enemy. Postscript
Fans: Political Activism & Protest
Readings:
Montague, J. 1312: Introduction, Chapters 8, 9, 11, 12
Gilbert, A. (2018) Tri vjere, jedna nacija, država Tuzla! Football fans, political protest and
the right to the city in postsocialist Bosnia–Herzegovina, Soccer & Society, 19:3, 373-399,
DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2017.1335487
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Watch
COPA90 (2020). Ultras, Billionaires, and Protests: What English football must learn from
Germany. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5BqHiLFW00
OPTIONAL
Montague, J. 1312: Chapters 10, 13, 14
Irak, D. (2018) ‘Shoot some pepper gas at me!’ football fans vs. Erdoğan: organized
politicization or reactive politics?, Soccer & Society, 19:3, 400-417, DOI:
10.1080/14660970.2017.1333675
Tuastad, D. (2014) From football riot to revolution. The political role of football in the Arab
world, Soccer & Society, 15:3, 376-388, DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2012.753541
Benkwitz, A, and Molnar, G. (2012) Interpreting and exploring football fan rivalries: an
overview, Soccer & Society, 13:4, 479-494, DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2012.677224
Kennedy, D. and Kennedy, P. (2013) Introduction: reflections on the context of ‘Left Wing’
fan cultures, Soccer & Society, 14:2, 117-131, DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2013.77646
Merkel, U. (2012) Football fans and clubs in Germany: conflicts, crises and
compromises, Soccer & Society, 13:3, 359-376, DOI: 10.1080/14660970.2012.655505
Watch
DW Kick off! (2020). HOW German fans want to transform football.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d23RAPGXXr8
Fans: Hooligans & Ultras
Readings:
Montague, J. 1312: Chapters 2, 4, 5
Spaaij, R., & Testa, A. (2016). Football Hooliganism. In Hughson J., Moore K., Spaaij R. &
Maguire,J. (eds.) Routledge Handbook of Football Studies. London: Routledge, pp. 364-374.
Testa, A. (2009). The ultraS: an emerging social movement?. Review of European Studies,
1(2), 54-63.
Watch
DW Kick off! (2019). Policing Football in Germany: Are fans mistreated?.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K80aYtIAsXA
OPTIONAL
Montague, J. 1312: Chapters 1, 3, 6, 7
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Barrie, T. (2020). ‘The far right has always been interested in football as a way to recruit’:
James Montague on going Among The Ultras. GQ. March 13 https://www.gq-
magazine.co.uk/sport/article/james-montague-interview-football-ultras
Pankowski, R., Witkowski, P. (2023). “Death to enemies of the fatherland”: Violent RightWing
Extremism infiltration of the milieu of Polish football hooligans. In Kuczyński, P. (ed.)
The Virus of Radicalization. Warsaw: Collegium Civitas. 159-187. Available at
https://civitas.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/VoR-Pankowski-Witkowski-Violent-Right-
Wing-Extremism-infiltration-07.pdf
Spaaij, R., and Viñas, C. (2005). Passion, politics and violence: A socio‐historical analysis of
Spanish ultras, Soccer & Society, 6:1, 79-96, DOI: 10.1080/146609705200033703
Testa, A. (2022). Waves of Extremism: An Applied Ethnographic Analysis of the Bosnia and
Herzegovina Football Terraces. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living 4.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.770441
Listening & Watching:
Montague, J. (2020). Ultras (RADIKAAL podcast). Available at
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1134467/4006796
COPA90 (2021). And We Tell You: The Origins of Italian Ultras.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOfSxCWAbxA
HOOLIGANS: Foreign Fields EP 3/3 | BBC Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-txeBksiDk&rco=1
Donal MacIntyre: Infiltrating The Chelsea Headhunters | BBC Documentary | 10/11/1999
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-TrNXmjQB0