Summary: | Includes bibliographical references. === The FIFA World Cup has become one of the most sought after sports mega events by many countries in today’s society, as well as one of the most controversial. As I put the finishing touches on this thesis, the FIFA World Cup is taking place in Brazil. As with previous World Cups, the planning stage of the 2014 World Cup has been characterised by protests and considerable criticism, particularly concerned with the expenditures on mega event structures such as stadiums. FIFA, along with host country’s governments, has been a major recipient of criticism. This controversy has prompted many people to focus their gaze on the negative impacts of these events, particularly on disadvantaged populations. Sports mega events will no doubt continue to occupy a crucial space in political and economic debates within host countries. As important as these debates are, they have tended to direct attention away from the governance mechanisms that FIFA deploys in staging World Cups. This thesis seeks to redirect attention to these governance issues.
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