Sport Journalism Practices on Instagram: How Sports Journalists From Nine Countries Covered the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar

As Instagram becomes an increasingly important platform for digital sports journalism, particularly among younger audiences, this study examines how sports outlets covered the 2022 FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) World Cup in Qatar on Instagram. The analysis focuses on 7,612 Instagram posts from outlets in nine countries across four continents (Argentina, Brazil, England, Germany, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Spain, South Korea, and the United States). A quantitative content analysis investigated how sports journalism practices have evolved and how frequently critical issues—especially those related to sportswashing—were addressed. A complementary qualitative analysis explored how these topics were presented. Critical reporting, including coverage of human rights, appeared early in the tournament but represented only a small portion of the overall coverage. Most posts emphasized match results, fan culture, and atmosphere. The findings suggest that sports journalism practices on Instagram largely prioritize the sporting event itself over political or ethical issues. Consequently, the platform’s potential to foster critical public discourse remains limited.