States of Play

SPORTSWASHING. CAPITALISM. MODERN FOOTBALL

The definitive account of how sportswashing and capitalism have taken over modern football

As the 2022 World Cup in Qatar drew to a close, there was a bitter undercurrent to Argentina’s triumph. Throughout the tournament, numerous allegations of sportswashing and financial misconduct had been made against the state of Qatar, moving what had previously been a smaller conversation into the worldwide spotlight. The question had been asked, who really owns and runs football?

Journeying from Abu Dhabi to Newcastle, and onto London, Paris, Moscow and New York in search of the answers, Miguel Delaney follows the threads that surround the allegations of sportswashing and misconduct in the beautiful game. The result is an exploration of how European football clubs have been bought by some of the world’s wealthiest businessmen and state-backed corporations. Drawing on exclusive interviews and unprecedented access to key stakeholders, Miguel has produced an all-encompassing exposé of modern footballs highest echelons.

From Neymar’s £198 million transfer to Paris Saint-Germain and Abu Dhabi’s construction empire in Manchester, to failed Financial Fair Play constraints and the dawn of the European Super League, this is an authoritative, riveting and eye-opening book that shows how football has been taken away from the fans and is now a tool for the world’s elite.