Search Results (46)

Performance analysis in elite football still faces significant challenges: traditional descriptive statistics often fail to capture tactical adaptability, and African teams remain underrepresented in the scientific literature despite achieving historic breakthroughs. The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 marked a turning point, with Morocco becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals. This study systematically analyzed the tactical, physical, and structural performance of the Moroccan national team across seven matches using official FIFA post-match reports. A three-level methodological framework was adopted: (i) descriptive analysis of key performance indicators (KPIs); (ii) visual profiling through radar charts, heatmaps, and passing networks; and (iii) exploratory modelling using principal component analysis (PCA) and clustering. Results revealed consistent defensive organization, low ball possession (<40% in five matches), and effective counter-attacking transitions, with pressing peaks against Spain (288 actions) and France (299 actions). PCA explained 76% of the variance, identifying two principal axes (physical intensity vs. technical mastery; verticality vs. build-up play) and clustering distinguished three match types: low-block defensive games, transition-oriented games, and open matches. These findings highlight Morocco’s tactical adaptability and sustained physical commitment. The study demonstrates how AI-enhanced analytics and multidimensional data visualization can uncover latent performance patterns and support evidence-based decision-making. Practical implications include actionable insights for performance analysts and coaching staff, particularly as Morocco prepares for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cups in 2026 and 2030. This integrative approach can serve as a model for federations seeking data-driven performance optimization in elite football. Full article

Increasing gender equality, United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Five (UN SDG 5), is one of many wicked problems that are difficult to solve in sport. Innovative policies may create a backdrop for improving women’s career outcomes in sport and beyond. This research aims to theorize and empirically demonstrate some of these contextual relationships. Using FIFA Women’s World Cup standings as outcomes, international analyses show that sustainability has real consequences for women and their countries’ success. Guided by wicked problems Literature explicitly recognizing complexities, this research considers the interconnectedness of the UN SDGs with a focus on sports. International empirical analyses demonstrate that leading countries’ more holistic sustainability policies help to address UN SDG 5. This study also compares sustainable development indicators in regression analyses to clarify how these composite measures relate to improved outcomes for women. Overall, future research should incorporate gender differences and thereby consider a broad set of sustainability factors. Full article

This study investigated associations between substitutions and match running performance (MRP) under the new five-substitution rule, utilising running data from the 2022 FIFA World Cup involving all 32 participating men’s national teams, comprising elite professional football players at the highest international competitive level. A paired sample t-test compared running performance among entire match players (EMP), replaced players (RP), and substitute players (SP) per team per match. A linear mixed model (LMM) was used to analyse the association between substitutions and MRP while also considering match-related factors associated with MRP as covariates and controlling for team variations. The main finding was that substitute players exhibit superior running performance compared to RP and EMP. Running metrics related to match outcomes indicate that more substitutions are associated with increases in total running distance and the number of sprints. This study highlights the importance of substitutions on team running performance under the new rules in modern elite football. Coaches can optimise their substitution strategies and physical training according to the new rules to meet the high-intensity demands of the game. Full article

In the present study, 96 teams’ performances across 48 matches in the group stage of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 were analyzed. Teams scoring first won 62.5% of matches (p < 0.05), while goals were evenly distributed between halves (p > 0.05) and showed marginal variation across six 15 min intervals, peaking near the 30–45 and 75–90 min marks. Parametric analyses revealed a significant effect of match outcome on possession, with winning teams exhibiting higher average possession (53.3%) compared to losing and drawing teams. Non-parametric analyses identified significant differences between match outcomes for goals scored, attempts at goal, total and completed passes, pass completion rate, defensive line breaks, receptions in the final third, ball progressions, defensive pressures, and total distance covered. Winning teams scored more goals and registered more attempts on target than losing teams, although some metrics showed no significant difference between wins and draws. Logistic regression analysis identified attempts at goal on target, defensive pressures, total completed passes, total distance covered, and receptions in the final third as significant predictors of match success (AUC = 0.85), correctly classifying 80.2% of match outcomes. These results emphasized the crucial role of offensive accuracy and possession dominance in achieving success in elite football. Full article

The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the external load demands of players from the Spanish women’s national football teams across the U-17, U-20, and senior categories during their respective FIFA World Cup participations. Key kinematic variables were assessed via global positioning systems (GPS), including total distance (TD), high-speed running (HSR; ≥18 km·h⁻¹), sprint distance (≥21 km·h⁻¹), accelerations (>3 m·s⁻²), decelerations (<–3 m·s⁻²), and high metabolic load distance (HMLD) during 3 world cups (U17, U20 and senior). Significant differences were observed between the senior team and both U-20 and U-17 in nearly all variables, with greater magnitude as the intensity of the metrics increased, showing effect sizes ranging from moderate to very large (d = 0.95 to 4.76). Positional analysis by categories showed that senior full backs (FB) and central midfielders (CM) showed higher demands compared to U-20 and U-17. For TD, senior covered more than U-17 (FB: p = 0.001; d = 1.11 | CM: p = 0.023; d = 0.97), with small differences vs. U-20 (d ≤ 0.54). In HSR, both positions outperformed U-17 and U-20 (FB: p ≤ 0.007; d = 0.87–1.15 | CM: p ≤ 0.031; d = 0.71–1.11). In HMLD, both FB and CM displayed very large differences compared to U-17 and U-20 (all p < 0.001; d = 2.54–6.16). These findings underscore the need for progressive development of locomotor capacities from early stages, considering both age category and playing position, to facilitate a more seamless transition to elite-level football. Full article

This study examines how international mega-events have adapted to post-pandemic conditions, with a focus on sustainability, resilience, and the integration of public health. Employing a qualitative comparative case study design, the analysis spans events such as the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, Lollapalooza, and NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race. Drawing on numerous secondary sources, the study explores shifts in infrastructure planning, socio-cultural engagement, marketing strategies, and environmental practices. The findings reveal a pivot toward modular infrastructure, hybrid formats, and community-centered governance. The research contributes to event management theory by highlighting emergent adaptive strategies and offering a framework for more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable mega-event planning. Full article

City branding is crucial for shaping urban identity and global stature. Hosting the FIFA World Cup 2034 in Saudi Arabia across Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha, and Neom offers a chance to infuse ecological, cultural, and aesthetic elements into urban landscapes. This study introduces a hybrid framework for plant scheme design that blends native, adaptive, and ornamental species to enhance biodiversity and visual appeal. It analyzes case studies from Expo 2020 Dubai, Sydney Olympic Park, and Gardens by the Bay, demonstrating how landscape architecture can unite sustainability with cultural and aesthetic values. The application in Saudi Arabia’s cities customizes plant choices to local climates and cultural contexts, with a focus on Al Khobar showing successful integration of coastal resilience and heritage. This approach provides a scalable, scientifically grounded method for incorporating ecological and cultural elements into cityscapes, promoting sustainable urban development during global events. Full article

Social sustainability, particularly in the form of inclusive cities, is high on the global agenda. One local manifestation working towards these goals in Qatar is Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development’s Education City: a large campus with multiple schools, universities, communities, and cultural institutions, as well as home to one of the major stadiums of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 tournament, hitherto the most accessible World Cup in history. This study is based on a survey that explores the experiences of people with and without disabilities in their interactions with Education City’s infrastructure, facilities, and services, as well as the legacy of hosting FIFA. It found that people’s experiences of social inclusion and belonging were positive given the multiple inclusive programs hosted by Education City and that hosting FIFA accelerated this shift. Yet, there is still significant room for improvement in the availability and quality of facilities, services with trained staff, clear communication, and advertisement and raising awareness of institutionalizing policies that reduce discrimination and stigma. Designing disability-inclusive cities is a complex grand societal challenge that requires intentional integration and constant monitoring and evaluation in an increasingly urbanized world. This is one of the first studies on Qatar and post-tournament legacy after a World Cup that prioritized accessibility. Full article

A key challenge in utilizing the expected goals on target (xGOT) metric is the limited public access to detailed football event and positional data, alongside other advanced metrics. This study aims to develop an xGOT model to evaluate goalkeeper (GK) performance based on the probability of successful actions, considering not only the outcomes (saves or goals conceded) but also the difficulty of each shot faced. Formal definitions were established for the following: (i) the initial distance between the ball and the GK at the moment of the shot, (ii) the distance between the ball and the GK over time post-shot, and (iii) the distance between the GK’s initial position and the goal, with respect to the y-coordinate. An xGOT model incorporating geometric parameters was designed to optimize performance based on the ball position, trajectory, and GK positioning. The model was tested using shots on target from the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Statistical evaluation using k-fold cross-validation yielded an AUC-ROC score of 0.67 and an 85% accuracy, confirming the model’s ability to differentiate successful GK performances. This approach enables a more precise evaluation of GK decision-making by analyzing a representative dataset of shots to estimate the probability of success. Full article

This article explores the emergence of the concept of glocalization in contemporary societies and more precisely, the glocalization of sport to highlight a social innovation borne through the interaction between global dynamics and local specificities in the development of sport. The glocalization, considered as a theorical framework to rethink local social innovation which answered to the limit of the globalization, is examined in this article through an in-depth bibliographic analysis conducted using the Lillocat metasearch engine (covering 354 articles since 1992 across 11 thematic areas, 29 of which are related to sports). The use of IRaMuTeQ software version 0.7 alpha2 (Interface for Multidimensional Text and Questionnaire Analysis) enabled comprehensive textual and lexical analyses, including frequency analyses, hierarchical classifications, and principal component analyses (PCA). These analyses were presented in the form of figures such as histograms, dendrograms, and word clouds, thereby facilitating the identification of lexical co-occurrence relationships and the understanding of emerging trends. Findings reveal that glocalization enables sports organizations to integrate global strategies with local cultural identities, fostering fan engagement, economic sustainability, and cultural diversity. Global events such as the FIFA World Cup, the NBA’s international expansion, and the Tour de France illustrate how global frameworks adapt to local contexts. Glocalization emerges as a strategic driver of social innovation, balancing internationalization with localized adaptation. This study provides insights for researchers and practitioners, considering glocalization as a theorical framework useful for the analysis of a local social innovation in the context of globalization and sport as a propitious field of research. Full article

Background: Migrant construction workers involved in building infrastructure for mega-sporting events face elevated risks of illness and death. However, specific health outcomes for these workers have not been systematically reviewed, limiting opportunities to identify and address their challenges. Methods: This study systematically reviewed health outcomes among migrant construction workers involved in mega-sporting events. Results: 89 eligible studies involving 23,307 workers were identified. Of these, only 11 directly addressed specific health outcomes, including heat stress, occupational fatalities, and sexually transmitted infections. Notably, increased heat exposure during peak construction phases and the proximity of deadlines for mega-sporting events were correlated with elevated rates of occupational fatalities. Other key adverse factors impacting migrant construction workers’ health included an observed correlation between the timing of mega-sporting events and increased occupational fatalities, the involvement of labor recruiters, and shifting health and safety responsibilities among stakeholders (e.g., host states, event organizers, contractors, and recruitment agencies). Positive outcomes were observed when workers voluntarily engaged in non-mandatory safety activities, such as safety training programs and awareness meetings. Conclusions: There is a critical need for longitudinal and comparative studies to comprehensively examine the health of migrant workers throughout all stages of their journey, from pre-migration to return. This review underscores the urgency of prioritizing evidence-based policies that address unique health risks in this population, including mitigation of heat stress and enforcement of occupational safety standards, particularly amid construction spikes preceding mega-sporting events. Recommendations: Future research should prioritize understanding the unique health challenges faced by migrant workers to inform policy making, develop effective interventions, and implement best practices to improve their health and well-being. Full article

Doha, the capital of Qatar, is the country’s administrative, economic, and political hub. With most of Qatar’s population residing in the metropolitan area, Doha effectively functions as a city-state. While the rapid growth of this Gulf metropolis is often celebrated as an emerging center of economic and cultural activity, the subtle yet crucial socio-cultural influences shaping its development as a rentier city-state are frequently overlooked in the existing literature. This research article explores the unique challenges rentier cities like Doha face in becoming truly smart and sustainable. Using a case study approach, the analysis draws from secondary data sources, including city reports, policy documents, and academic studies. By examining publicly available data and Doha’s urban planning history, the article identifies the critical issues and challenges the city faces, particularly following the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It reviews existing planning policies and offers insights into current initiatives and future directions aimed at achieving smart and sustainable development. The findings suggest that while Doha has made considerable progress, more inclusive and comprehensive policies are needed to move beyond entrenched socio-cultural influences and align the city’s growth with its broader sustainability and smart city goals. Full article

Service-learning is a community-based learning approach that bridges academic knowledge with practical application through purposeful exploration, action, and reflection. In addition to enhancing academic learning in various disciplines, service-learning cultivates students’ self-awareness, personal values, and social responsibility, preparing them with essential skills for life beyond the classroom. However, due to its experiential nature, service-learning presents challenges for effective assessment. This study provides a concrete example of student reflections structured by the Objective, Reflective, Interpretive, and Decisional (ORID) model in practice. Content analysis was implemented by examining undergraduate students’ end-of-semester reflection papers while volunteering during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The results showed that the model provided a guided and structured format for students to reflect on their service-learning, going beyond reporting on factual details to engaging in profound reflections on the emotional, cognitive, and prospective aspects. Moreover, with the solution aspect added to the model, students could express their creativity, articulating on innovative solutions they proposed to overcome challenges and how they turned the challenges into favorable outcomes. Clearly, the model stands as a powerful tool for educators, offering deeper insights into students’ authentic experiences, fostering comprehensive, critical, and insightful reflection, and thereby facilitating the effective assessment of experiential learning. Full article

Sports journalism has become one of the news products with the most significant social reach in the press, radio, television and digital media. Despite the significant presence of women in journalism, they continue to face gender-based stereotypes. In Spain, not very many women can effectively access the labour field of sports journalism, and those who do find themselves in a space dominated by men, which results in a perpetuation of the existing imbalances in society. The main objective of this study is to analyse the evolution of the roles developed by women journalists in the article-production aspect of the Spanish sports press between 2010 and 2022. We use quantitative content analysis, studying the articles published in Marca and Mundo Deportivo during the second week of June in 2010, 2014, and 2018, and the third week of November 2022; in each of these years, the men’s FIFA World Cup was played. The results of this study show that: (a) women journalists have an almost invisible role in the production of articles, and (b) rather than progress, women are facing “pseudo-progress”, a more appropriate term for the appearance of a change that is not actually occurring. Full article

This study explores how open-source pose estimation can be utilized to identify goalkeeper dive initiation during soccer penalty kicks. The purpose of this study is to provide an accessible, low-cost heuristic methodology for identifying goalkeeper dive initiation. This study uses single-camera broadcast footage (1080 p resolution, 50 frames per second) of all 41 penalty shootout kicks attempted during the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup. We isolated each penalty kick and recorded the frames of goalkeeper dive initiation and flight. We then identified goalposts to create a homography matrix to account for camera movement and identified the goalkeeper’s skeletal keypoints through pose estimation. From these keypoints, we derived frontal plane kinematics for the torso and legs. We identified local extrema for each kinematic variable and isolated the last observed extrema prior to goalkeeper flight for each variable. Using OLS regression, we found that the last local extremum of the goalkeeper centroid’s y-value was the strongest predictor of labeled commitment to the dive side, with an R2 of 0.998 and a p-value of 0.00. The results of this research are preliminary but demonstrate the promise of pose estimation in identifying sport-specific action timing during live game play using a single camera. Full article