‘Saving or Keeping Face Was Just Part of the Game’: The Role of Facework in White-Collar Crime in Chinese Football

Abstract This article introduces the concept of ‘facework corruption’ as a theoretical framework for understanding white-collar crime in Chinese football. Drawing from an analysis of 15 judicial cases and 25 semi-structured interviews with football officials, coaches, and corruption investigators, the study identifies three key mechanisms through which facework facilitates corruption and match-fixing. First, ‘Face as currency’ explores how financial incentives and face are deeply intertwined, with bribes and illicit transactions serving to enhance status and reinforce power networks. Second, ‘national face as justification’ highlights how corrupt individuals rationalize their actions as contributing to China’s ambition to become a football superpower. Third, ‘facework networks’ demonstrate how interpersonal and institutional ties normalize corruption, embedding it within football governance structures. These mechanisms illustrate that corruption in Chinese football is not merely a financial crime but also a performative social act, where face serves as both a motivation and a justification for wrongdoing. The findings contribute to criminological literature by integrating the facework framework with existing theories of white-collar crime, demonstrating its broader applicability beyond sport.