James Johnson is a globally recognised sports and entertainment executive and lawyer who led Australia to host the 2023 Women's World Cup.
His first book, 'Hosting the World' will draw on his experience on how to win, deliver, and build legacy from the world's biggest sporting events with lessons learned in four continents, relevant to all sport.
'Hosting the World' will be released in November 2026.
Global sports executive James Johnson to publish Hosting the World, a definitive guide for governments, sporting bodies and event professionals seeking to win, deliver and build legacy from major international sporting events.
Fair Play Publishing today announced the acquisition of Hosting the World: How to win, deliver and build legacy from the world’s biggest sporting events by James Johnson, Group CEO of Canadian Soccer & Media Entertainment and former Chief Executive Officer of Football Australia. The book will be published in November 2026.
Drawing on Johnson’s first-hand experience leading Australia and New Zealand’s delivery of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup - the largest women’s sporting event in history - Hosting the World provides a practical, strategic framework for every stage of the major events journey: from the bid room to the opening ceremony, and from the final whistle to the lasting legacy.
The book addresses the full lifecycle of major event hosting, including how nations and cities win the right to host, how organising committees build the operational and commercial structures to deliver at scale, how host governments maximise return on investment, and how lasting social, economic and infrastructure legacies are built and measured.
While the 2023 Women’s World Cup provides the centrepiece case study, Hosting the World draws on examples from across the global major events landscape, making it essential reading for anyone operating in this space.
According to Johnson:
“Hosting a major international sporting event is one of the most complex, high-stakes efforts a nation can take on. The social, cultural, and economic benefits can be life-changing. But the costs of getting it wrong can also be high. I wrote this book because I believe the knowledge to do it right exists, and it should be shared.”
Publisher Bonita Mersiades believes the book will be the standard reference for sports executives, government officials, bid committee members, event professionals, and policymakers engaged with the major events sector globally.
“James Johnson brings a rare combination of strategic vision and operational credibility to the subject matter. Hosting the World is a book the major events industry has needed. It’s practical, rigorous and written by someone who has truly been in the arena,” said Mersiades.
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About us:
About the Author
James Johnson is a globally recognised sports and entertainment executive and lawyer with more than two decades of senior leadership experience across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. He was appointed Group CEO of Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment (CSME) and Commissioner of the Canadian Premier League in July 2025 to accelerate the growth and transformation of Canadian soccer ahead of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Previously, Johnson served as CEO of Football Australia, where he led a period of transformation marked by record commercial growth, strong national team performance, increased participation, and the successful bidding and hosting of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. His career also includes senior executive roles with FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and City Football Group, where he built a reputation as a commercially driven and innovative leader advancing sport both on and off the pitch.
About Fair Play Publishing
Fair Play Publishing was established in 2016 by FIFA whistleblower, writer, and former football executive Bonita Mersiades, who is also the founder of the Football Writers’ Festival and the Manly Writers’ Festival. Fair Play Publishing has since published more than 85 books and is the largest publisher of non-fiction books on football and other sports in Australia. Fair Play Publishing is the principal imprint dedicated to sports non-fiction. Other imprints are Popcorn Press (fiction) and Pepper Press (books about life).
Contact details:
Amy Mack
[email protected]
02 7229 4889
