Abstract
This management history, a case study of the 1966 FIFA World Cup, involved a critical review of the literature together with archival research including the use of FIFA, English FA, UK Government and Civil Service, and UK Local Authority archives. Many of these sources are previously uncited in existing published literature of the 1966 FIFA World Cup, and we shed new light on the preparations and administration of the tournament, and on the network of relationships that were involved. Our findings show that an intricate network of actors collaborated successfully to deliver the World Cup project but the long-term legacy was limited. As such, contemporary theory about relational working is partly applicable and some of its benefits are demonstrated by the case. We identify that the English Football Association, the host football clubs, as well as their local authorities and communities, could and should do more to commemorate and celebrate the sites of the tournament and the remaining host stadia and landmarks. The case also suggests that a future development for the English FA might be to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup to emulate the success of the 1966 FIFA World Cup.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | CIES/FIFA |
| Commissioning body | CIES/FIFA |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2015 |