Sports Discourse Ideology in Arabic TV Commentary: A Case Study of the African Cup of Nations Semi-finals 2026

Abstract

The present study aims at exploring the sports discourse ideology by applying Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to the TV commentary on football matches. Van Dijk’s framework is employed to examine the semi-finals at the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations: Egypt vs. Senegal, and Morocco vs. Nigeria. The focus is laid on how the commentators build their narratives, and whether the discourse is biased for the Arab teams or maintains balance, objectivity, and sports values of respect like that to the rival and referee decisions. The results show that sports commentary does not only report the match reality, but also shapes the spectators’ awareness and culture. This takes place through emotive language, repetition, and cultural references which should steer the audience toward sportsmanship and mutual respect. Based on the apparent ideology found in the commentary, it is recommended to expand research on this genre using different CDA methods, and not limiting them to political speeches. In addition, it is necessary to conduct comparative studies on the ideological differences among channels (Arab and non-Arab), in a bid to investigate the impact of the cultural and territorial context in shaping the Us and Them dichotomy.