Beyond football: The World Cup from a Tunisian perspective

Editor's note: Mohamed Hedi Abdellaoui is a Tunisian journalist specializing in Arab and African affairs. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Whenever the World Cup takes center stage, stories emerge that extend far beyond the boundaries of the pitch. They are stories that cannot be reduced merely to goals, results, or the names of star players and national teams. Instead, they open a window onto broader questions of economics, culture, technology and changing lifestyles.

For Tunisian fans in particular, the World Cup is also a familiar and highly anticipated moment of collective attention. In Tunisia, where football is followed with passion in homes, cafes, workplaces and on social media, the tournament is not just a distant global event. It is a shared experience that brings together families, young people and sports fans around a common language. From this Tunisian perspective, the World Cup is also a way of observing how the world is changing and how those changes are reaching our own society.

China's evolving presence

When China is mentioned in Tunisia, images of vast manufacturing hubs, high-speed rail networks and large-scale infrastructure projects often come to mind. Yet a closer look at China's presence around the World Cup reveals another side of the country: one increasingly associated with innovation, the creative economy, youth culture and digital technologies.

Over the past decade, China has witnessed profound changes in consumer behavior, particularly among younger generations. Following sporting events is no longer a passive activity. It has become an immersive experience combining digital content, e-commerce, social media interaction and the consumption of products connected to teams, athletes and sporting lifestyles.

This transformation has contributed to the rise of the so-called fan economy, where sport becomes a meeting point between entertainment, commerce and digital culture. In this ecosystem, supporters are no longer mere spectators; they are active participants whose choices influence trends, markets and online communities.

Sadok Chedhli, a Tunisian digital economy specialist, argues that China's presence in global sporting events is increasingly measured not only by investment figures or infrastructure projects, but also by the capacity of Chinese companies to shape new forms of consumer engagement. According to him, China has gradually moved beyond the role of the world's factory to become an innovator in digital experiences that accompany consumers in their everyday lives, with sport serving as one of the most dynamic arenas for this transformation.

For Tunisia, where digital consumption of football is expanding and younger audiences are increasingly connected to global platforms, this evolution is especially relevant. Many Tunisian fans now follow matches, highlights and sports content through smartphones, streaming services and social networks, making them part of the same digital shift.

Technology and space for cultural exchange

Behind the spectacle of modern football lies an increasingly sophisticated technological ecosystem. Artificial intelligence, big data analytics, smart wearables and connected applications have become essential tools for athlete preparation, performance analysis, injury prevention and fan engagement.

Algerian innovation specialist Chahreddine Berrih notes that smart technologies have become a decisive factor in contemporary sport. Chinese investments in this field, he argues, are not limited to elite competition but increasingly target ordinary consumers through applications and devices that help people engage in sports and follow competitions in more interactive ways.

In Tunisia as well, where football is followed with exceptional intensity, these technologies are gradually shaping the way fans experience major tournaments. Tunisian supporters are increasingly accustomed to live statistics, instant replays, online debates and interactive content that make the World Cup feel closer and more immediate.

The significance of the World Cup extends beyond economics and technology. The tournament has also evolved into one of the world's largest arenas for cultural exchange, bringing together languages, music, fashion, design and visual identities from across the globe.

Through digital platforms, Tunisian youth interact daily with audiences from different cultural backgrounds. These exchanges are reflected in music, video games, digital art and football-related content, where local traditions intersect with global influences.

Tunisian researcher in sports media Ahmed Elloumi believes that the World Cup has become a space for cultural competition as much as sporting competition. Modern audiences, particularly younger generations, no longer consume matches alone; they engage with an integrated digital environment created by companies, platforms, content creators and influencers from around the world.

Within this evolving landscape, China has become an increasingly visible participant, while Tunisia remains an attentive observer and active consumer of these new forms of sports culture. For many Tunisians, this is not only about watching football, but also about comparing styles, technologies and narratives that shape how the game is presented and experienced.

New connections, brands and new narratives

At the same time, sporting events are playing a growing role in strengthening people-to-people exchanges. International tournaments are no longer merely competitions that begin and end with a final whistle. They have become platforms for dialogue, learning and sharing of experiences.

Tunisian academic and international relations specialist Mehdi Taje argues that soft power in the 21st century is no longer built solely through economics and politics. Culture, sport and technology have become equally important instruments for shaping perceptions of countries and connecting with younger generations.

For Tunisia, which seeks to expand its international presence through culture, sport and digital innovation, this lesson is particularly significant. It also invites Tunisian public opinion to think more carefully about how the country presents itself abroad and how it can benefit from global sporting visibility.

The role of brands has evolved as well. Sponsorship is no longer limited to displaying logos on stadium screens or team jerseys. Increasingly, companies seek to tell stories, create identities and establish emotional connections with audiences.

In this sense, the World Cup functions as a global laboratory where new ideas in marketing, design and cultural communication are constantly being tested. Tunisian consumers, like many others around the world, are increasingly part of this global marketplace of images, symbols and digital experiences. In Tunisia, where young people are highly active online and quick to adopt new trends, this global branding environment is especially visible.

At the same time, some analysts caution that the growing involvement of major companies and states in global sporting events should also be viewed through the lens of influence and competition. They argue that sport has become an important arena for projecting economic and cultural power, making the World Cup not only a celebration of football but also a stage where different visions of global engagement compete for attention. From a Tunisian point of view, this raises an important question: How can a country like Tunisia preserve its own sporting identity while remaining open to these global currents?

Beyond the tournament

From this perspective, China's presence around the World Cup reflects more than its traditional strengths in manufacturing and infrastructure. It also highlights the country's efforts to expand its influence through technology, creative industries and cultural innovation.

Perhaps this is one of the broader lessons offered by the World Cup today. Beyond the excitement of the matches and the spectacle of the stadiums, deeper transformations are taking shape, transformations that are redefining the global economy, soft power and the ways societies connect with one another.

For Tunisia, these changes are especially meaningful. A country with a deep football culture and a growing digital public sphere, Tunisia is both a participant in and a witness to these global shifts. Tunisian fans do not simply watch the World Cup; they interpret it through their own social realities, their own media habits and their own aspirations.

Within these changes, China stands out not only as a builder of roads, railways and physical infrastructure, but also as a builder of a different kind of bridge, one that connects technology, culture, youth and the wider world.

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