Why is it called the FIFA World Cup instead of simply the Football World Cup? IOL Sport’s Michael Sherman explores FIFA’s branding strategy, history and controversial reputation. Picture: Alex Slitz/Getty Images/AFP
Image: Alex Slitz/Getty Images/AFP
We all know that the FIFA World Cup means the Football World Cup – or soccer if you’re American – but why exactly does the world governing body include itself in the tournament’s name?
The ICC and World Rugby don’t include their names in the respective Cricket and Rugby World Cups, yet FIFA does.
At first glance, it’s a little perplexing, but perhaps not when you think about it.
To me, it’s all about branding. Even if it were simply called the Football World Cup, there’s no doubt FIFA’s branding would still be plastered everywhere.
Yet that apparently isn’t enough.
FIFA has spent decades building one of the most recognisable sporting brands on the planet. Attaching its name to football’s biggest tournament only reinforces that brand every four years.
FIFA has long been criticised for putting its own interests first. Take former president Sepp Blatter and former secretary-general Jérôme Valcke, for example. Both were investigated over financial mismanagement, including the sale of World Cup broadcasting rights far below market value to associates in exchange for kickbacks, as well as the awarding of massive unauthorised bonuses.
Then there was CONCACAF general secretary and FIFA executive committee member Chuck Blazer. He admitted to accepting more than $20 million (R328 million) in bribes during his time in office. Blazer also famously rented a lavish New York apartment for around $18,000 (R295,340) per month just for his cats. He was banned by FIFA in 2015. That’s almost too bizarre to believe.
There have been numerous corruption scandals throughout FIFA’s history, including allegations surrounding the awarding of the World Cup itself.
In the cases of the 2018 tournament in Russia and the 2022 edition in Qatar, investigations later uncovered widespread allegations of vote-buying and kickbacks linked to the bidding process.
So it comes as little surprise to me that football’s biggest tournament isn’t simply called the Football World Cup. FIFA has made sure its own brand is the headline, not the game itself.
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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