A team is built on trust : in-group trust formation and trust generalisation in European football fans

Abstract

This paper investigates the association between football fandom, interpersonal trust and social cohesion across Europe. Drawing on a representative four-country survey (Germany, Norway, Poland, Spain) and employing structural equation modelling, the study examines whether and how identification as a fan contributes to trust in fellow citizens from other European countries. Building on theories of social cohesion and interpersonal trust, the analysis conceptualises fandom as a culturally embedded and Europeanised form of social identity capable of bridging national divides. The findings indicate that fandom is associated with trust in European citizens more broadly through a mediated pathway via trust in fans and in fans from other European countries. These effects are independent of generalised trust, European identification, and socio-demographic factors. The study thus reveals a layered process of identity-based trust generalisation rooted in fan culture. The paper contributes to the literature on trust, social cohesion, and the social dimension(s) of European integration, and demonstrates how shared cultural practices may serve as foundations for connectedness and exchanges across borders. It provides insights for policy and civil society actors seeking to harness the integrative potential of sport in times of political polarisation and social fragmentation in Europe.