Sports Mega Events and Nation Branding: A Textual and Perception Analysis of Qatar's Image through the 2022 World Cup

Abstract

The 2022 FIFA World Cup, was historically hosted in the Middle East for the first time since the inception of this Sports Mega-event (SME) in 1930. Qatar, a small nation in the Arabian Peninsula, won the bid to host its biggest SME amidst various controversies, including but not limited to corruption allegations, alleged substandard living and working conditions of its labor migrants, and concerns about how it will welcome the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer/Questioning, and Asexual (LGBTQA+) community in a country perceived to have a strict stance towards individuals who identify as such. Scholarship has identified how countries instrumentalize SMEs to rebrand or promote an image. By employing the qualitative research methods of textual analysis, in-depth interviews, and document analysis, this case study explores how the 2022 World Cup hosted by Qatar was used to reshape its reputation and image. Through the utilization of textual analysis, the study examines 169 news stories published on Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) website. Additionally, since the SME was promoted by FIFA as a media phenomenon, in-depth interviews were conducted to explore the perceptions of Ghanaian sports journalists who covered the event in both Qatar and Ghana. Both textual and interview data were supplemented by document analysis. Using textual analysis for data collection and thematic analysis for analysis, the study identified five themes related to Qatar's identity construction through the 2022 FIFA World Cup: (1) The brand message: First FIFA World Cup in the Middle East, Compact Nature, and Sustainable Projects; (2) Adeptly leveraging technology; (3) Qatar’s response to the controversy; (4) The use of entertainment: sport-related branded entertainment; and (5) Response to Covid-19. Additionally, through an examination of Qatar’s communication materials, the study identified five themes related to nation branding activities employed by Qatar: (1) The use of public relations-related activities, including media relations, employee relations, stakeholder relations (including coordination with local people), corporate social responsibility (CSR), and campaigns; (2) Communicators of nation brand identity, such as the use of prominent personalities and government foreign policy; (3) Rights of people with disabilities; (4) Partnership; and (5) Use of testimonials. Furthermore, findings corroborated by the in-depth interviews indicate that all 12 participants interviewed had a positive impression of Qatar after the event. The triangulation of all three methods revealed that Qatar crafted an attractive identity through its use of technology, hosting the first compact tournament, and fostering a culturally inclusive environment during the event.