TITLE:
Framing the Games: Comparative Analysis of African Online Sports Media and Western Online Sports Media Coverage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
AUTHORS:
Gabriel Kusi
KEYWORDS:
FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar 2022
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.5,
May
26,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study analyses news coverage of Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup by two sports online media—ESPN.com and SuperSport.com over a period of one year, with a particular focus on the predominantly frames employed, tones adopted and the sources of the news coverage. Using a qualitative content analysis and framing theory, the study examines 40 news articles from the media outlets published between November 1, 2022 and October 31, 2023. The major findings in this research revealed that the media outlets prioritized criticizing human rights violations by highlighting the problems faced by migrant workers and members/supporters of the sexual and gender minorities. In addition, while ESPN.com was reliant on their internal journalists for news coverage, SuperSport.com heavily relied on other media houses for their publications. Both online media outlets employed negative tones in their reporting of the World Cup with morality as its salient frame.