Key Information
About the content
Explore the role of football in the world today - including finances, clubs, nations and rivalries - with this free online course.
A l'occasion de l'Euro 2016 de Football, participez à ce MOOC pour être immergé dans la culture foot / At the occasion of the Euro 2016 of Football, join the MOOC to be immersed in the football culture
Syllabus
At the beginning of the twentieth century, football was the most popular game in the western world and has since grown to become a global spectacle.
From street soccer to multi-million dollar transfers, from the beaches of Brazil to the fight against poverty and inequality in Africa, this free online course looks beyond the pitch, to explore football’s role in society today.
Explore football’s role in society today
Over six weeks, we will address several important questions, as we introduce you to different major aspects of the sport:
- Why is the history of football important?
- Is football played in every country in the world? Is it really global?
- Where are the great clubs and rivalries?
- Who are the champions of the world?
- Can football act as a language that helps countries talk to each other?
- Where are the richest clubs and leagues?
Learn with well-known faces from the sport
You will be be joined by Liverpool legend and former Match of the Day analyst, Alan Hansen, and Mel Young, founder of the Homeless World Cup.
Through the course, you will: learn where football has come from and where it is going; gain an insight into some of the greatest sporting events in the world; explore great football clubs, leagues, countries and profiles; consider the power of football as a tool for development; discuss the role of football in the world today; and understand football money, trends, data and sources of information.
Instructors
Grant Jarvie
Grant is Professor of Sport at the university, comes from an international sporting family and you can find out more by accessing Grant Jarvie at the University of Edinburgh.
Content Designer

The University of Edinburgh is a British university, founded in 1583 during a period of rapid development for the city of Edinburgh. It is considered to be one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
Having counted among its students inventors of the Industrial Revolution, it has more students than any other Scottish university and is one of the largest universities in the United Kingdom.
Platform

FutureLearn is a massive open online course (MOOC) learning platform founded in December 2012.
It is a company launched and wholly owned by The Open University in Milton Keynes, England. It is the first UK-led massive open online course learning platform, and as of March 2015 included 54 UK and international University partners and unlike similar platforms includes four non-university partners: the British Museum, the British Council, the British Library and the National Film and Television School.