Talk: Football in Colombia: A decade of meaning
Thursday 20th November 2025 at 4pm. Free. Baines Wing Seminar Room 3.06. Booking required.
Dr Pete Watson discusses the various meanings, symbolisms and power of football in Colombia over the last decade, from the 2014 Men’s World Cup to the 2023 Women’s World Cup and asks: “What power does football really have?”
Colombia still struggles to shake off imaginaries associating it with violence and drugs. Football is a symbol charged with attempting to change these negative narratives, with the performances of male and female teams and fans on a global stage showing a different side of the country.
From the 2014 Men’s World Cup to the 2023 Women’s World Cup, new stars and new meanings have emerged. Dr Pete Watson (University of Leeds) looks back on a decade of how football in Colombia has been imbued with different messages and transformative potential by different political and social actors, including presidents, guerrilla organizations and fan groups. Football in Colombia is more than just a game.
Speaker Biography: Dr Pete Watson, expert on Latin American football history and society, is author of the book “Football and Nation Building in Colombia: The Only Thing that Unites Us”. He is a regular podcast guest on the likes of These Football Times, Outside Write and Soccernostalgia. Copies of the presenter's book will be on sale from the author at the event.
View the event page to book here.
The presenter's book, 'Football and Nation Building in Columbia: The only thing that unites us'