Afrika in der globalen Fußballökonomie

Abstract

Africa’s Position within the Globalised Football Economy. Over the past two decades professional football has become a part of the global entertainment industry characterized, like any other capitalist economic sector, by coreperiphery relations. This article examines Africa’s position within this globalised football economy, arguing that it primarily serves as a source of cheap, but highly qualified, players primarily, but not exclusively, for European clubs. It is argued that in several respects the production and distribution of African football labour resembles the commodity chains of other African products, as control over the player-market is mainly exercised by European actors who are the biggest beneficiaries. However, there are also significant differences between African countries. Clubs and players from better-off African countries with functioning professional leagues, like Egypt, Tunisia and South Africa, are less exposed to metropolitan allures and pressures and act as regional cores towards economically weaker neighbouring countries. In taking this line of argumentation the article further concludes that in parallel to economic dependence there is also a cultural dependence that connects Africa to the centres of world football.