1. Introduction
"Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does."
— Nelson Mandela, Laureus World Sports Awards, 2000.
For billions of people around the world, sport has become a central source of entertainment, identity, and social connection. Whether participating in or watching it, sport provides a shared physical and emotional experience that fosters a strong sense of community and belonging. In some contexts, sport arguably fulfils roles once occupied by religion—offering rituals, meaning, collective identity, and even feelings of transcendence.
While religion continues to play a vital role in the lives of many, its influence is waning in parts of the world, particularly in Europe. An increasing number of people now identify as having no religious affiliation. The 2021 UK census data revealed that when asked what about religious affiliation, “No religion” was the second most common response, increasing by 12.0 percentage points to 37.2% (22.2 million) from 25.2% (14.1 million) in 2011. The Pew Research Center’s report “The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010–2050” highlights this trend, projecting a continued rise in secularism across European nations.
Religions have long been the subject of extensive scholarly analysis, providing us with a rich framework for understanding their societal role. Many of these analytical tools can be applied to the study of sport as a cultural phenomenon, as we will consider throughout this page. When viewed through this lens, the similarities between sport and religion become increasingly apparent—rituals, symbols, devotion, communities, and mythologies.
In this research page, we will explore the commonalities between sport and religion and examine how these insights can deepen our understanding of sport’s role in contemporary society.
2. How do Religions Feature in Sports Today?
We might imagine that sport is a secular space, free from religious or ideological symbolism. However, sport is a deeply diverse arena in which athletes and fans often bring their personal beliefs, values, and faith traditions. For many athletes, religious faith is a core source of motivation, resilience, and meaning in their sporting careers.
Several British athletes, including Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling, Tyson Fury, and Adam Peaty, have publicly spoken about how their Christian faith influences their mindset and performance. In his biography, Pep Guardiola noted that Sterling would read the Bible before training sessions, and Sterling himself has described the impact of his faith as “huge”. Among Brazilian players in the Premier League, Pentecostal Christianity is particularly influential. A widely shared video shows Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker baptizing his teammate Roberto Firmino, demonstrating the close integration of faith and identity in their sporting lives.
Religious gestures and symbols are also frequently enacted during matches. Mohamed Salah, for example, is well known for performing sujood—the Islamic act of prostration in prayer—when celebrating a goal. Similarly, many Christian athletes make the sign of the cross before competing, reflecting a moment of private devotion in a public arena.
Some clubs are historically and culturally tied to religious identity. The rivalry between Scottish football teams Celtic and Rangers is a prominent example. Celtic fans are traditionally associated with Catholicism, while Rangers fans have roots in Protestant communities. This religious divide has contributed to a long-standing sectarian tension between the two clubs' supporters.
The religious dimensions of sport extend beyond players. The experiences of fans—marked by devotion, ritual, and deep emotional investment—can mirror aspects of religious life. From this perspective, the philosophy of religion offers valuable tools for interpreting the meaning that both athletes and fans derive from sport.
Now take time to reflect on the following question:
Can you think of other examples where athletes have enacted religious gestures or drawn on their faith in high-pressure moments?
In the Beyond Belief episode on the Olympics, the panel discusses how the Olympic Games emerged as a quasi-religious festival. The ancient Olympic Games were not merely athletic contests—they were religious and cultural celebrations held among the Greek city-states to honour the gods. Athletic excellence was seen as a tribute to divine power and a means of enriching the community. Although modern Olympic Games differ greatly in form, many symbolic and ritualistic elements continue today, revealing similarities between sport and religion.
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Let's consider some commonalities between religion and sport:
Rituals and Traditions
Sports teams and athletes often participate in rituals and traditions that mirror those found in religious communities. Both domains rely on initiation ceremonies, repeated practices, and symbolic gestures that help establish identity and belonging. These shared rituals—whether team chants, pre-game routines, or personal gestures like crossing oneself or kneeling in prayer—build cohesion and shared purpose.
Modern sports teams are often religiously diverse, with athletes from different faiths and cultural backgrounds coming together. This illustrates that diversity of belief can coexist and even strengthen communal identity and mutual respect.
Reflective Question: If you are part of a sports team, can you think of any rituals or traditions that help build team spirit or belonging?
Communal Experience
Sporting events, like religious gatherings, are powerful communal experiences. Just as a congregation would gather for a sermon, derasha, khutbah, homily, prayers, or other religious act, fans assemble in stadiums, pubs, or living rooms to experience the drama of live sport together. These moments foster deep emotional bonds and a shared sense of identity.
Reflective Questions: Have you ever felt a powerful emotional or spiritual connection at a sporting or religious event? What made it meaningful?
A Quest for Meaning and Transcendence
In an increasingly secular world, sport can offer a sense of meaning and transcendence. For some, it fills an existential space previously occupied by religion. The emotional highs and lows, the struggle, perseverance, and shared stories of triumph and failure all contribute to a narrative larger than oneself.
Sport can offer euphoric joy, like witnessing a last-minute goal, or profound disappointment after a loss. These emotional experiences often feel deeply significant.
Reflective Questions: Can you recall a moment in sport that moved you emotionally—positively or negatively? Why do you think it had that effect?
Leaders and Role Models
Religious communities look to spiritual leaders for guidance and inspiration. Similarly, athletes often become cultural icons—guiding, inspiring, and sometimes even governing. For instance, former Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan, became the country’s 19th prime minister after a successful sporting career.
Reflective Questions: Are there any athletes you consider to be personal role models? Why do they inspire you?
Codes of Ethics and Morality
Both religions and sports are guided by ethical frameworks. In religion, these are typically rooted in scripture and doctrine. In sport, they are found in rules, fair play principles, and unspoken norms. When someone breaks these rules, whether through cheating or unsporting conduct, it can provoke strong emotional and moral responses.
Reflective Questions: How do you feel when someone breaks the rules in a sporting context? Why do you think these rules matter?
These parallels between religion and sport highlight broader questions about meaning, ritual, and human behaviour. The theologian Paul Tillich argued that much of religious language is symbolic—pointing to deeper truths beyond literal expression. If we consider the rituals, symbols, and values in sport, might we see similar symbolic structures at play?
Do you believe sport offers an alternative to religion in the modern world? Or does it offer a different space for religious expression? Why?
Has thinking about sport in this way changed your understanding or appreciation of it?
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3. Can Sports Change the World for the Better?
If we are to analyse sport in a way similar to religion, we should ask: can it create meaningful, beneficial change in the world? Beyond the personal and communal benefits already discussed, sport has also played a significant role in shaping geopolitical and social landscapes.
The quote at the beginning of this page captures Nelson Mandela’s belief in the transformative power of sport. He spoke from personal experience: international sporting boycotts were instrumental in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, many nations refused to compete against South Africa in protest of its racial segregation policies. These boycotts are widely credited with increasing international pressure and contributing to the eventual dismantling of apartheid.
Athletes have also used sport as a platform to draw attention to critical social issues. In 2016, American football player Colin Kaepernick famously knelt during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice in the United States. His action sparked a global movement, with athletes around the world adopting similar gestures in solidarity and to raise awareness of systemic racism.
Reflective Questions: Do you believe that sport can change the world for the better? Why or why not?
If you find this question intriguing, it could form the basis of a fascinating research project. Academics and universities are actively investigating how sport can have a measurable, positive impact on society.
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4. Should we be Critical of Professional Sports?
There are undoubtedly many benefits that sports offer globally—from promoting health and teamwork to fostering community and even contributing to social change. However, it is also essential to critically examine the world of professional sports and the institutions that govern them.
In the Beyond Belief episode on the Olympics, we hear contrasting perspectives on this issue. From around the 19-minute mark, former athletes Matthew Syed and Tanni Grey-Thompson offer an optimistic view of the Olympics, emphasizing its inspirational and unifying qualities. In contrast, sociologist Helen Jefferson Lenskyj takes a more critical stance. She highlights concerns about the International Olympic Committee (IOC), especially its acceptance of sponsorships from corporations, such as McDonald’s and Coca-Cola, that seemingly contradict the health-focused values that sports are meant to promote.
Lenskyj’s critique reflects a broader need to question how ethical and moral considerations are handled in global sporting events. For example, serious concerns were raised about human rights violations in the construction of stadiums for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the increasing influence of authoritarian regimes in the sporting world.
Aspects of Professional Sports That Deserve Criticism:
- Exploitation of Athletes: While media coverage often highlights the multi-million-dollar contracts of elite athletes, many others struggle financially. For those in lower tiers or niche sports, working conditions are often precarious. A single injury may end a career without any safety net, health protection, or long-term support.
- Corruption Within Sporting Institutions: Major governing bodies like FIFA have repeatedly faced allegations of corruption. Notably, several FIFA officials were indicted in 2015 for accepting bribes related to hosting rights for the 2022 World Cup. Such scandals undermine the integrity and fairness of global sport.
- Sportswashing and Reputation Management: “Sportswashing” refers to the practice of using sports to improve the public image of disreputable governments or corporations. Wealthy nations or owners invest heavily in high-profile teams or events to distract from poor human rights records or unethical practices. This raises ethical concerns about complicity and the commodification of fan loyalty.
Reflective Questions:
Can you think of other ways in which professional sports might be criticised?
Do any of these criticisms remind you of similar issues within religious institutions?
Are there common patterns of power, corruption, or manipulation in both sports and religion?
Just as religions can be analysed for their structures, values, and ethical failures, so too can sports. Both can inspire meaning and unity, but both can also be sites of inequality, exploitation, and control. Being critical does not mean rejecting either outright but rather striving to understand them deeply and ethically.
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5. What Questions Should We Ask?
The relationship between sport and religion is a growing area of study, rich with potential and unanswered questions. Both are powerful cultural forces that shape identity, community, and values. Yet much remains unexplored. You could be the one to ask a new and important question in this evolving field.
Suggested areas of future research:
• What influence do religious beliefs and institutions have within sporting organisations? Conversely, how do sports influence religious communities?
• Do sports fans engage with sporting events in a way that mirrors religious experiences? For example, do rituals, communal gatherings, and emotional highs mirror aspects of worship or pilgrimage?
• To what extent do athletes shape public understanding of political and religious issues? Are they becoming modern prophets, preachers, or political voices?
• Should athletes be free to express and practice their religion within the context of professional sports? What boundaries, if any, should be in place?
• Do professional sports organisations contribute more good than harm to society? How should we measure this impact: economically, ethically, spiritually?
Where can you use this?
This page could form the basis of an EPQ if you have the option to undertake one of these. Or it might be the kind of thing that inspires you to take your studies further after college or school!
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6. Further Reading
Coman, Julian. (2021). “God-given talent: Saka, Rashford and Sterling blaze a trail for black British Christians” Accessed: <https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jul/17/god-given-talent-saka-rashford-and-sterling-blaze-a-trail-for-black-british-christians>
Hughes, Simon. (2020). “Alisson, Roberto Firmino and religion’s role at Liverpool and in the Premier League” Accessed: <https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1477023/2020/01/16/alisson-firmino-baptism-evangelicalism-liverpool-premier-league/>
McLeod, Hugh. (2023). “How sport became the new religion – a 200-year story of society’s ‘great conversion’.” Accessed: <https://theconversation.com/how-sport-became-the-new-religion-a-200-year-story-of-societys-great-conversion-199576>
Perelman, Marc. (2012). Barbaric Sport: A Global Plague. New York: Verso Books.
Shoemaker, Terry. (2019). The Prophetic Dimension of Sport. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
These pages were created by me, Dr Adam North, early career researcher working in political theology, performance, and race.
My work explores how embodied protest—particularly in sport—can act as a form of political and theological communication. My PhD research examined how gestures like "taking the knee" challenge structural racism and provoke questions about justice, representation, and power. I'm especially interested in how institutions respond to protest and how public rituals create (or resist) social change.
I also write and teach on topics like critical race theory, political philosophy, and ethics, and I'm currently developing research on humour and populism in contemporary political culture.
Published October 2025.
Credits:
Created with images by JJAVA - "Sports Equipment" • HN Works - "Victorious team triumphs under sunset with trophy and numerous silhouetted hands"