ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses how the small society of Iceland has become a source of advantage for it and its national sports teams and how the tight networks of the Icelandic community also function as social capital that encourages athletes and teams to play with a certain character. Iceland is a small society; frequently people in Iceland tend to find that they know each other or are related – this realization of relatedness has a strong impact, particularly for people within the same cultural or professional spheres. Iceland is characterized by a network of strong ties. Its small population and tight networks – especially within a given subject – establish strong and unavoidable bonds between its members. The Icelandic sports scene is built on strong ties that facilitate a cultural sports hegemony, consisting of norms regarding how to play sports, which can be seen in all the teams.
