Think back to the London 2012 Olympics and, alongside the sporting achievements which stick in people’s memories, no doubt the extravagant entrance of two of the UK’s most well-known individuals features high on the list of people’s most memorable moments. When the late Queen Elizabeth II and James Bond appeared to parachute into the Opening Ceremony, it wasn’t just a fantastic visual spectacle. It was part of a ceremony designed to showcase British culture to the world. And it perfectly encapsulates how sporting events can bring different cultures together, helping us all learn more about the world through the power of sport.
Rituals and ceremonies
It’s not just the London Olympics where the host country’s culture has been heavily incorporated into the opening ceremony. The Ancient Games and each of the Modern Games since 1896 have begun with a ceremony, reflecting important aspects of the culture such as history, art, music and literature.
The Olympics is undoubtedly a culture-share on the grandest of scales, given the 300,000 spectators stood along the River Seine to witness the Paris parade in 2024 (BBC), and the 28.6 million watching on television around the world (Forbes). But there are many more examples from sporting events around the world.
Take for instance, the Haka. The traditional dance of the Māori would likely be little-known outside of New Zealand were it not for its adoption by the national rugby team, the All Blacks. The dance is an essential pre-game ritual for the team, meaning every single person who’s ever seen New Zealand playing rugby is now aware of the Haka and its cultural significance.
Even the outfits worn by athletes can give spectators an insight into cultures around the world: competitors from Haiti, Mongolia and Taiwan, for example, wore modern takes on traditional attire to the most recent Olympics. The uniforms of Taiwan even included banana fibre weaving, a craft unique to their culture.
And of course, it’s not only the spectators who are experiencing all these wonderful aspects of other cultures – every single athlete, coach, manager and physiotherapist who travels to these events also gets the chance to meet teams from other cultures, as well as those involved in the logistics behind the scenes, from the staff at the hotels where athletes stay, to the drivers who transport them to and from venues.
Travelling the world
Worldwide sporting events also give people the chance to fully immerse themselves in a different culture, by travelling to the host country to spectate. Around 58% of people would travel internationally to see a sporting event (Statista) and we see huge audiences doing exactly that for the most popular.
The Tour de France is one of the most well attended events, with a staggering 12 million people lining the route (Roadtrips). While there are no official figures for how many of those are from different cultures, the fact the cycling event is broadcast across more than 120 countries in the world shows it has huge global appeal and likely attracts a significant number of international visitors.
Of the 4 million spectators for the last Rugby World Cup, also held in France, 425,000 came from abroad – staying an average of ten days and providing a huge boost for the country’s tourism industry. In fact, international travellers for the World Cup accounted for 40% of the total tourism spend in France that year. Half of all of the international visitors went to a Rugby Village (fan zone) as well as attending matches, giving them further opportunities to immerse themselves in the French culture and meet fans from across the world (RugbyWorldCup.com).
Football is naturally a huge attraction for international travellers too, with more than 1 million visitors from 150 countries flocking to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, including significant numbers from Saudi Arabia, India, the USA, the UK and Mexico (FIFA).
And of course, the Paris Olympic Games attracted 2.8 million spectators, of which almost 20% (or 546,000) were from elsewhere in Europe, including the UK, Germany and Belgium. A further 8% (or 224,000) travelled from outside of Europe, with American, Brazilian and Canadian travellers being among the largest groups of tourists in France during the Games (press.Paris2024.org).
Many elite athletes will spend their career travelling outside of their home country, giving them the chance to learn more about the world and share those experiences with their fans. Especially in the age of social media, athletes have significant influence, and can use this in a positive way to highlight cultural sensitivity and unity.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most-followed athletes on social media, with an Instagram audience of 650 million. A recent post of his highlighted Founding Day, an annual event which celebrates the foundation of the Saudi state, and he posts in both English and his native language, Portuguese. We’re also seeing many other examples of athletes using their platforms to give an insight into their culture, their world travels, and social issues within their country and across the globe.
A common interest
When we consider global cultures, it can be easy to focus on the differences – or even the things which divide us – but sport provides a way for people from even the most diverse of cultures to come together and enjoy a common interest.
The rules of each sport remain fairly consistent no matter where in the world it’s being played, meaning it’s accessible for anyone to watch or take part in. From an initial interest in a sport, many fans will progress to spectating in-person – and with global travel becoming more accessible, it seems likely that sporting events attracting audiences from around the world is a trend that will continue going forward.
Whether it’s learning more about the language, food, and traditions of a sporting event’s host country, or simply meeting people from different countries for the first time, sport is unique in its ability to unite individuals across the world, bringing them together in one venue to stand shoulder to shoulder and cheer on their favourite athletes.
Author: Simon Hainsworth, Managing Director of CSE Plc
