Abstract
This paper explores the role of The New Saints (TNS), the reigning champions of the Cymru (Welsh) Premier, in shaping and reflecting Welsh national identity. Based in Oswestry, an English border town, TNS operates within both Welsh and English cultural and geographical contexts. The club’s involvement in the Welsh football system and its representation of Wales in European competitions, including the Europa Conference League, reveals the complexities of national identity in cross-border settings. As one of the few professional clubs in the league, TNS raises critical questions about how sport can both unify and challenge perceptions of nationhood, particularly in regions with overlapping identities. Drawing on historical, sociocultural, and geopolitical perspectives, this study contributes to broader discussions on the role of sport in articulating national identity, especially in contested spaces where global and local cultural dynamics shape identity.
Presenters
Robert BevanSubject Leader, History , The Cathedral School, Llandaff (Wales), Cardiff [Caerdydd GB-CRD], United Kingdom
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Global Sports Local Cultures
KEYWORDS
Nationalism National Identity Sport Borders Hybridity
