Modern soccer industry management and current challenges: systematic literature review

Abstract

Introduction: Soccer is known as the "global game" because it is very popular in many parts of the world. Numerous studies have been conducted in different parts, segments, and levels of the soccer industry. However, the findings are inconclusive, unidirectional, and contradictory. Objective: to analyze contemporary management practices, challenges, and future perspectives in the soccer industry. Methodology: This systematic literature review was conducted. A total of 540 articles were initially recorded from Google Scholar, SCOPUS, and JSTOR. Through inclusion and exclusion criteria, 83 published materials that met the inclusion criteria were thematically analyzed. Results: The findings reveal that global outlook with fidelity to local roots, changing commercial partnerships, changing media landscape, cultural aspects in the football playground, and game attractiveness are major patterns identified in globalization and its development. In particular, specific rules and regulations, the nature of competition, ownership, leadership and governance are also current variants in the management of soccer. Discussion: These are crucial ingredients for understanding the future dynamics of global soccer and represent challenges and dilemmas for the industry. Conclusions: A massive or single research study on the current practices, issues, and possibilities of the modern soccer industry at the local, sub-regional, continental, and international levels is feasible.