What can game studies teach us about soccer?
A new book co‑authored by ITU Professor Miguel Sicart examines soccer through the lens of game studies, analysing how rules, interpretation, and play shape the world’s most popular game.
Written 20 May, 2026 09:33 by Jari Kickbusch
The book, The Laws of the Game: A Game Studies Book about Soccer, approaches soccer as a game: a structured system of rules, practices and interpretations that shape how it is played, watched, and understood. The book is co‑authored by Miguel Sicart, Professor at the IT University of Copenhagen and Head of the Center for Digital Play.
“We are game scholars, but game studies have not really studied the most popular game on earth. So, we wanted to, on the one hand show how game studies can be used to study football, and, on the other hand, help people who like football develop their critical vocabulary to better understand and enjoy the game,” says Miguel Sicart, who wrote the book with Associate Professor at the University of Southern Denmark, Bo Kampmann Walther.
A game perspective on football
Drawing on perspectives from game studies, philosophy, and design research, the authors examine how formal rules interact with informal norms, technologies and player behaviour on and off the pitch. Rather than treating soccer only as a sport or a cultural phenomenon, the book analyses football as a game: a system whose meaning emerges through play, interpretation, and negotiation.
“Basically, the book is articulated along two axes: the history and philosophy of the game, and the design and future of football, paying special attention to the data revolution, AI, and the economics of the game,” says Miguel Sicart.
Innovation, rules, and culture
Soccer’s global reach and long history make it a particularly rich case for understanding how games operate in society, the authors argue. From refereeing decisions and rule changes to tactical innovation and fan culture, the book shows how the “laws of the game” are continuously interpreted, negotiated, and contested.
“Even though it is an academic book, we have written it so anybody can benefit from reading it. All concepts are clearly explained, there are a lot of examples, and we even have a proper explanation of the offside rule,” says Miguel Sicart, who is internationally recognised for his research on the ethics and philosophy of games.
Soccer as a language
Much of Miguel Sicart’s research has focused on computer games, but he has always been a passionate soccer fan. Growing up in Spain in a family of FC Barcelona members, soccer became a shared language that connected generations in his family.
However, when asked to predict the winner of the next World Cup, Sicart remains cautious: “Well, we are academics and not pundits, but our money is on France or Spain. Don’t quote us on that,” he says.
Public book launch
On 29 May, 2026, Miguel Sicart and Bo Kampmann Walther will present the book at a public book launch at the IT University of Copenhagen.
Learn more about the event
Jari Kickbusch, phone 7218 5304, email jark@itu.dk