This groundbreaking collection provides the first detailed social analysis of football within Africa. The book features case study essays that draw heavily on detailed fieldwork to examine the distinctive football cultures that have grown up in African communities. The book should be compulsory reading, for social scientists in sport studies and African studies, and for informed football followers everywhere. PETER ALEGI is Assistant Professor of History and Director of the African American Studies Programme at Eastern Kentucky, USA JOHN BALE is Lecturer and Researcher at Aarhus University, Denmark and Keele University, UK WIEBE BOER is a PhD student in African History at Yale University, USA TIM EDENSOR is Lecturer in Cultural Studies at Staffordshire University, UK LAURA FAIR is Associate Professor of African History at the University of Oregon, USA YOUSSEF FATES is Docteur d'Etat en Science Politique a the University of Paris, France HANS HOGNESTAD is a Social Anthropologist and Researcher at the Norwegian University for Sport and Physical Education, Norway IBRAHIM KOODORUTH is Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Mauritius ALEX LAST is a Freelance Journalist, UK GARETH STANTON is Lecturer in the Department of Media and Communications, Goldsmiths College, University of London, UK ARVID TOLLISEN is teaches Sport and Physical Education at Fredtun Colleg e, Stavern, Norway BEA VIDACS is Lecturer in Anthropology at Baruch College, City University of New York, USA PETER WOODWARD is Professor of Politics and International Relations, University of Reading, UK