![Sample our Area Studies journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5922/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Area-Studies.jpg"})
Abstract
The announcement by FIFA in 2004 that South Africa would host the 2010 World Cup soccer tournament generated phenomenal media coverage in Africa, not least in Zimbabwe. While the media's fascination with the event was self‐evident, their motive was not easy to figure out. This article analyzes representation of the 2010 World Cup soccer tournament in two weekly Zimbabwean newspapers, namely the state‐controlled Sunday Mail and the privately owned Standard, in order to understand the social significance of soccer and its interconnectedness with other aspects of social life. The study utilizes textual analysis to find out what aspects of the event were selected, and how and why they were presented in a particular manner. The article demonstrates the interplay between football, media, and society. It argues that football is more than a game as it is a site for serious hegemonic contestations.