Race on and off the field: Ghanaian footballers in Sweden
This article explores how race and processes of racialization – as social, cultural and historical constructs – manifest within the global football industry, focusing on Ghanaian migrant players in Sweden. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, it examines how racialization is practiced, negotiated and reproduced through the experiences of Ghanaian footballers, the discourses of those working with them and portrayals in the media. In contrast to official narratives of diversity and equality, the article shows how saviorism, everyday racism, racialized athletic notions, commodification, and racist abuse persist on and off the pitch. These narratives are circulated by Swedish actors, Ghanaian representatives and sometimes the players themselves, who view racism as normal. They respond by ignoring it, laughing it off or focusing on the game – strategies that reveal an awareness of being observed – while acknowledging its harm. Protest is rarely an option when careers and livelihoods are at stake. Indeed, subordination is both a precondition and a shaping force of their international careers.
Lindberg, E. (2025). Race on and off the field: Ghanaian footballers in Sweden. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2025.2524026