Northernness, Sheffield and the 1966 World Cup: The “Steel City” on Display.

During summer 1966 global attention turned to the manufacturing centre of Sheffield as “Steel City” played host to a number of FIFA World Cup matches. The tournament has been romanticised by the press as a key national triumph following England's victory, whilst sport historians have critiqued the event's cultural, economic, political and social impact. This article contends that this major sporting event served as a platform for articulating and experiencing the provincial north of England by highlighting how post-war Sheffield utilised the 1966 World Cup to promote multiple identities spanning that of a traditional, northern industrial centre to one of a modern, forward-thinking city. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]