ABSTRACT
Football videogames have become one of the most popular genres of videogames. Part of their appeal is that they enable gamers to virtually participate in, and gain detailed knowledge about, leagues and clubs in nations from all over the globe. In this chapter we argue that there is currently a gap in understanding regarding the potential of football videogames for enhancing the promotion of less well-known leagues and clubs on the global stage. We begin to address this conceptual gap through a case study on the development of football in Hong Kong under British rule pre-1997 and Chinese rule post 1997 in which we explore the possibilities and limitations of using one of the most popular football videogames, Fifa (EA Sports), to help develop and promote Hong Kong football. In order to achieve this, we draw upon the Eliasian or figurational concept of “diminishing contrasts, increasing varieties” to suggest that football videogames could simultaneously help and hinder the development and promotion of Hong Kong football. We conclude by arguing that further research is required in order to more fully assess the potential of football videogames for the promotion of Hong Kong football and other less well-known leagues and clubs on the global stage.
