Not just a game, in Arsenal they trust

The important thing about football,” the late great Terry Pratchett wrote, “is that it is not just about football”. The beautiful game has indeed borne the burden of weighty symbols for almost its entire existence. The 22 men on the pitch have been a metaphor for warring countries; the loyalty and passion of fans have been equated with religious fervour, their excesses seen as a mirror of sectarian and class divides. It is, perhaps, because of this accumulated mass of metaphors that a piece of fake news following Arsenal becoming Premier League champions — for the first time in 22 years — was so believable that it required clarification from the government.

For a day or so, Arsenal fans in Botswana thought that their revelry had state sanction. Documents that looked like government notices announcing a holiday to celebrate the victory and recognise fans’ “passion, loyalty and unwavering support” were shared on social media. The government’s official handle had to clarify that the president had not declared a holiday.

Fake news going viral is old news. But the fandom around European and British clubs adds another layer to the football story. What is behind the die-hard loyalty for a club in London, in Gaborone and Gandhinagar? There is no national affiliation, neighbourhood loyalty or social base that binds this community of fans — except marketing and merchandise. Or, perhaps, there are times when football fandom is indeed about football.