Business History of the FIFA World Cup
Study the development of the FIFA World Cup as a business entity, and the cultural, political, economic and social contexts to the event.
| Length | Start date | Led by | In partnership with |
| Three weeks | 29 January 2024 | School for Business and Society | FutureLearn |
The development of the World Cup tournament has been remarkable, supported by a system of increasingly powerful monopolies. These monopolies have worked with forces of global political and economic change to shape the evolution of the FIFA World Cup. From the very first iterations of the tournament through to its most recent staging, this course will highlight key events, patterns and trends in the business and management of the World Cup.
We’ll look at the early history of the tournament, through to the more recent themes of the introduction of sponsorship, broadcasting and other media developments as the World Cup has become a global sporting mega-event. You will also explore the proliferation of other tournaments using the FIFA World Cup identity.
The course is structured not around a tournament by tournament or a sports narrative, but instead around the more important themes of the business of the World Cup, while continuing to pay attention to historical context.
You can join and access this course for free. You're also able to upgrade your FutureLearn account to a paid version for additional benefits (futurelearn.com).