Journeys to the 'Other
England fans', Orientalism and the 2022 World Cup
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5625899 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Tom Taylor (0000-0002-8991-0857, University of Brighton, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Publication date | 2025-10-22 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Review for the Sociology of Sport (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1012-6902 • E-ISSN: 1461-7218 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/10126902251383553 |
| OpenAlex | W4415440087 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 22 |
This article examines how England football fans made sense of Muslims, Islam and the Arabian Peninsula in the context of the 2022 FIFA Men's World Cup in Qatar. Drawing on Edward Said's (2003 [1978]) theory of Orientalism, it investigates whether Orientalist discourses were maintained, (re)produced or challenged through fans' lived experiences in the first World Cup staged in an Islamic society. It applies Said's framework through a bottom-up analysis of how Orientalism manifests in practice. Methodologically, this article employs a longitudinal 'pre-during-post' approach, following four England fans through semi-structured interviews, audio-visual diaries and photo-elicitation interviews. The findings demonstrate the complexities and contradictions of the fans' attitudes and experiences; they simultaneously challenged and reinforced Orientalist assumptions through discourses of authenticity that maintained control over the Other. The World Cup functioned as a 'bubble', enabling fans to encounter the 'exotic' from comfort and security. When experiences aligned with their preconceptions (wearing themed thawbs ), fans accepted them as authentic, but when they challenged their imaginaries (encountering modernity), they dismissed them as 'inauthentic' or 'Westernised'. Both Orientalist discourse and self-Orientalist strategies shaped cultural exchanges. These findings highlight how sporting events in the Arabian Peninsula may perpetuate rather than challenge Orientalist frameworks
Football · Islam · Orientalism · Peninsula · Media, Gender, and Advertising · Sport and Mega-Event Impacts · Sports, Gender, and Society
The Velvet Glove
Covering Islam
Investments in sport
Qatar and the 2022 Fifa World Cup
Multicultural Politics
White Nation
Media Bias in Sports Journalism
Not just a game”
Practical orientalism – bodies, everyday life and the construction of otherness
Repackaging Orientalism
For Lust of Knowing. Orientalists and their Enemies
Fan responses to ownership change in the English Premier League
The Interpretation of Cultures
From Orientalism to neo-Orientalism
Can Exposure to Celebrities Reduce Prejudice? The Effect of Mohamed Salah on Islamophobic Behaviors and Attitudes
Rivalries and Racisms
From Challenge to Opportunity
Using a smartphone app in qualitative research
The Qatar World Cup and Twitter sentiment
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |