SKEMA Publika’s 2025 Sport and Soft Power Ranking
This study examines the relationship between sport and soft power, the outcome of which is a global ranking of the world’s most powerful countries in this regard. The project is motivated by our perception that, in today’s globalized world, sport and soft power are linked. Indeed, sport is a subject of great expectations on the part of the States, and it has become a key economic sector as well as a political and geopolitical tool.
Given the significant interest of states in this field of sports, we found it relevant to create a sport and soft power ranking.
As an independent international think tank that anticipates tomorrow’s societal and geopolitical transformations, sport is one of SKEMA Publika’s areas of expertise, and the ambition is to contribute to the debate by creating this ranking and thus influence policymakers and private decision-makers.
The underpinning question that has guided our research is: Which countries are the world’s best at projecting soft power through sport?
The ranking, which is based upon the involvement of sixty experts globally, consists of twenty-five countries that have been assessed as being successful in accentuating their attractiveness through sport.
Undertaken over a period of twelve months, ten criteria were used as the basis for this ranking exercise:
- Sport industry size.
- Government policy.
- Soft power policies and strategies.
- Investment activity.
- Elite level performance.
- History of success in sport.
- Venues.
- Event staging.
- Broadcast markets.
- Governing body membership.
- Sponsors and commercial partners.
- Commercial success.
- Social media presence.
According to our research, the top twenty-five is:
Recommendations
As an outcome of this groundbreaking sport and soft power ranking, we recommend a framework through which countries can address promotion of their attractiveness. Broadly, we believe that projecting soft power through sport entails five important stages (KEDIA):
- Know your assets.
As a first step, we recommend that countries – involving both state and non-state entities – identify and audit their sports assets to establish their key features and attractiveness. - Establish their meaning globally.
Sports assets may be attractive domestically and engage local audiences, but establishing whether they are attractive to global audiences is vital when outwardly projecting soft power into other territories. - Decide how to use them.
Understanding how sports assets can best represent a country, entails making some interesting choices. Perhaps sport is simply a means through which to engage international or global audiences, though the way in which an asset can project the values of a nation may deliver additional value to a soft power policy or strategy. - Integrate them within policy and strategy.
If it is to deliver real, tangible, and lasting value, the projection of soft power through sport should not be undertaken lightly or on an ad hoc basis. Committing to the formulation and implementation of soft power policy and strategy is vital. - Actively manage and measure their effectiveness.
Soft power projection doesn’t simply happen, policy and strategy require activation – if perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours towards a nation are to be changed, then sustaining coherent and consistent messaging is important. Moreover, soft power should not be seen as something nebulous or intangible, is a country is investing money in sport power projection, then it should identify and measure the success of achieving a return on investment.
The full report is available below
Webinar
The Skema Publika team will be discussing soft power and the report’s findings during a public webinar, which will take place on 14th May 2025 at 15.00 CET. People can register to attend the webinar via this link
