Abstract

This paper seek to understand how sport and hosting of sports mega events approach could be used to achieve the nation’s diplomatic objectives. Hosting global sports events like the FIFA World Cup or the Olympics has developed to be the most sought after peace building commodity for many nations. To a certain extent, sports diplomacy appears to be succeeding where traditional diplomacy seems to be failing. The article will argue that the nexus between sports and politics necessitate the application of sports diplomacy to resolve national and international conflicts. Furthermore, the concept of `peace` as the fundamental value inherent in a FIFA World Cup or the Olympic spirit, is recognized as the driving force behind sports diplomacy. Therefore, the article begins from the premises that FIFA’s decision to award the world cup to Uruguay (1936), Japan- Korea (2002) and South Africa (2010), was influenced by the organization’s intention to use sports (FIFA World Cup) as a tool for diplomacy and for the promotion of peace. The first part of the article consists of a theoretical framework based on scholarly research on the subject. The second part provides a historical approach of sports diplomacy within the context of a FIFA World Cup. The article will conclude that sports diplomacy was the primary objective for the world cup in Uruguay, Korea-Japan and South Africa.