The universal game? Deconstructing FIFA’s human rights discourse

Abstract The adoption, integration and effective implementation of a policy is built on discourse. This paper critically examines how discourse influences FIFA’s challenges in integrating human rights into its governance. While FIFA adopted a Human Rights Policy, the extent to which these commitments translate into language remains uncertain. Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the article explores how FIFA employs human rights language in the dimensions of text, discursive, as well as social practices to shape perceptions, influence decision-making processes, and legitimise transnational power relations. Building on Fairclough’s framework on language and power, the analysis reveals that FIFA presents itself as a neutral actor yet uses the language of rights to shield itself from human rights accountability. Despite its commitments, when the organisation faces political debates, the discourse often reframes human rights as competing interests, which may undermine the effectiveness of its policy. The paper concludes that true human rights accountability requires FIFA to confront the political implications of its authority and engage in deeper structural reforms rather than relying on performative discourse practices.