Rhodesia and FIFA: racial discrimination, political legitimacy and football, 1960 to 1980

Rhodesia (colonial Zimbabwe) was a member of FIFA from 1965 until its suspension in 1970, playing a single qualifying match against Australia for the 1970 World Cup. Rhodesia was under sanctions as a result of the white minority regime’s unilateral declaration of independence (UDI) from Great Britain, which affected athletes’ ability to participate in international sport. Football was the most popular sport for the black majority, though like...