ABSTRACT
The sense of allegiance that many hardcore sports fans have for a particular team is almost religious-like, in the sense that fans share a common history and share in a particular relationship and identity with other sports fans and groups. This is only one of many connections between sport, religion and spirituality. This chapter has recognised that religions exist in all known societies; religious beliefs and practices vary from culture to culture, and, to the extent that sport involves a set of symbols and rituals, some of which may be religious, it is not difficult to see why some are quick to point out that sport continues to invoke religion in social life. Whereas other areas of conflict in the world today have observed the power of fundamental religious groups, conflict in and through sport has not yet been characterised by a class of fundamental religious belief or dogma.
