Showcasing Australia
The ability to host successful major events signals competence and projects positive perceptions of Australia.
Sport is a powerful soft power asset. Major sporting events present opportunities to showcase Australia and build our international reputation and relationships through sport, public, and cultural diplomacy. 2
Australia's ability to host successful major events, such as the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the 2015 Asian Football Championship, and the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games projects a positive image of the country and can be seen as signalling competence, outside of any direct economic analysis.
International reputation
By promoting positive views of Australia and highlighting our reputation for excellence we can generate flow on benefits for business, trade, investment, tourism, and more.
Tourism
The role of major sports events in raising the profile of cities and countries, and bringing visitors to an area is recognised and cultivated as part of most event plans and evaluations.
Media, broadcasting, and communication
Broadcasting and other media channels are a key part of major sporting events and can be used to help engage viewers with other legacy outcomes.
Case study
United Kingdom
The UK, particularly London, capitalised on hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, boosting its global reputation as a prime place to do business.
REFERENCES
- Promoting a Strategic Approach to EU Sports Diplomacy: Final report, opens in a new tab Richard Parrish, Antoine Duval, Silvija Mitevska, et al., Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, (December 2021).
- Sports Diplomacy 2030, opens in a new tab, Australian Government, Department of Health, (2019).
- Major Sporting Events overview, opens in a new tab, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts, (accessed 4 November 2025).
- Commonwealth Games Value Framework: Final report, opens in a new tab, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for the Commonwealth Games Federation, (December 2019).
- Community Perceptions Survey 2017: Research Report, Essence Communications, (2017).
- Mega-events and place branding legacy for emerging economies, opens in a new tab, Brendon Knott, Kamilla Swart, Chapter 9 in Legacies and Mega Events, opens in a new tab, Routledge, (2017).
- State of the Industry 2018-2019, opens in a new tab, Austrade, (March 2020).
- State of the Industry 2021, opens in a new tab, Tourism Research Australia, Austrade, (2022).
- Sport tourism: an ever-growing sector with high potential for cities, opens in a new tab, Young Hoon Kim, John Nauright, smart cities and sport, (3 July 2021).
- “Winning the women’s world cup”: gender, branding, and the Australia/New Zealand As One 2023 social media strategy for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, opens in a new tab, Adam Beissel, Verity Postlethwaite, Andrew Grainger, Sport in Society, Volume 25(4), pp.768-798, (2022).
- Sport mega-events and the media, opens in a new tab, Kamilla Swart, Michael Linley, Gift Muresherwa, Chapter 15 in Legacies and Mega Events, opens in a new tab, Routledge, (2017).
- World Cup 2022: Qatar is accused of ‘sportswashing’ but do the fans really care?, opens in a new tab Argyro Elisavet Manoli, The Conversation, (21 November 2022).
- Post-Games Sustainability Report, opens in a new tab, Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation, (August 2018).
- Glasgow 2014 XX Commonwealth Games Post-Games Report, opens in a new tab, Commonwealth Games Federation, (2014).
- Invictus Games Sydney 2018 - Game On Down Under Event Review, Australian International Military Games Limited, (2018).
- Media, opens in a new tab, eventIMPACTS ToolKit, (accessed 30 January 2023).
- London four years on: a global host for sport, opens in a new tab, London & Partners, (July 2016).
- London 2017: Key Stats Infographic, opens in a new tab, London and Partners, (2017).
See more on this topic:
- Overview
- Planning and legacy
- Community and social engagement
- Sustainability
- Showcasing Australia
- Strategies, plans and evaluations
Last updated: 6 February 2023 Content disclaimer: See Clearinghouse for Sport disclaimer
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