LAUSR

Abstract There has been limited research on brand legacies of the 2010 FIFA World CupTM; hence, this research examined brand image legacies of this tournament in the long run in South Africa in relation to determining the changes in international football tourists’ perceptions of South Africa as result of hosting this event. A quantitative methodology was employed to survey 391 international football tourists at fan parks and stadium precincts in five metropolitan cities in France during the 2016 UEFA European Championship, using a spatially based systematic sampling technique. The findings reveal statistically significant differences in most aspects between football tourists’ perceptions prior to, and six years after, the tournament. International football tourists’ perceptions changed positively six years after the event, including those features that were highlighted as major concerns prior to the tournament. The key findings of this study have a wider applicability to sport mega-events legacy research and body of knowledge.