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The FIFA World Cup 2010 and its Legacy on “Sport and Development” Practices in South African Cities

ISBN: 978-1-78350-885-3, eISBN: 978-1-78350-886-0

Publication date: 17 July 2014

Abstract

Purpose

This chapter attempts to examine what lasting change the 2010 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup brought to the practices of “sport and development” in South Africa. It also discusses whose “rights to the city” were and were not promoted as a consequence of this mega-event.

Methodology/approach

A multiple case study approach was employed to look at: (1) what new initiatives have been launched and will be sustained after the event; (2) what the experience of existing initiatives was like; and (3) what structural changes might be brought about to promote the practices of “sport and development.” Semi-structured interviews and on-site observations were conducted in November 2010, looking at six “sport and development” initiatives operating in and around Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Findings

As far as the experience of NGOs is concerned, positive changes were observable in terms of generating a more enabling climate for “sport and development,” although how long it will be sustained remains to be seen. The study shows that the World Cup provided opportunities for some new initiatives to start up, and also for relatively small existing ones to expand, while the experience of more established initiatives varied in terms of the extent of involvement in this one-off event.

Social implications

These “positives” notwithstanding, the benefits tend to be limited to football-based practices, and potential “reach” into other areas of social development are questionable. Finally, it appeared that there was a mismatch between the beneficiaries of the programs and the victims of urban development.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgment

This chapter is based on, and modified from, the article of the same title included in SUR: Sustainable Urban Regeneration Vol. 32 published by Centre for Sustainable Urban Regeneration (cSUR), The University of Tokyo. The study was conducted as part of a larger project on urbanization in Africa, sponsored by cSUR. The ideas presented in this chapter were developed thanks to the discussion with one of the colleagues there, Atsufumi Yokoi.

Citation

Suzuki, N. (2014), "The FIFA World Cup 2010 and its Legacy on “Sport and Development” Practices in South African Cities", Sport, Social Development and Peace (Research in the Sociology of Sport, Vol. 8), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 127-145. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1476-285420140000008006

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited