Getty Images
More than 100 professional women’s soccer players have signed an open letter to Fifa urging the global governing body to end its sponsorship with Saudi oil giant Aramco.
Fifa confirmed a deal with Aramco, which is majority-owned by the Saudi government, in April. The company will sponsor both the 2026 men’s World Cup and 2027 Women’s World Cup in an agreement reportedly worth up to US$100 million a year.
While soccer’s global governing body hailed the deal at the time, with Fifa president Gianni Infantino praising Aramco’s “strong track record of supporting world-class event” and “focus on developing grassroots sport initiatives”, it drew a wave of criticism including from Amnesty International, who called for change from Saudi Arabia following the agreement.
Now, 106 women’s players from 24 countries have publicly had their say, calling on Fifa to reconsider the deal on humanitarian and environmental grounds.
‘Saudi authorities have been spending billions in sports sponsorship to try to distract from the regime’s brutal human rights reputation, but its treatment of women speaks for itself,’ reads the letter.
The letter continues: ‘We urge Fifa to reconsider this partnership and replace Saudi Aramco with alternative sponsors whose values align with gender equality, human rights and the safe future of our planet. We also propose the establishment of a review committee with player representation, to evaluate the ethical implications of future sponsorship deals and ensure they align with our sport’s values and goals.’
It adds: ‘This sponsorship is much worse than an own goal for football: Fifa might as well pour oil on the pitch and set it alight. Our job as professional players has been a dream for us and is a dream for the girls who will be the players of the future. We deserve so much better from our governing body than its allyship with this nightmare sponsor.’
Danish international Sofie Junge Pedersen and Manchester City forward Vivianne Miedema are among the signatories of the letter. The latter player has warned that if Aramco remains as a sponsor for the 2027 Women’s World Cup it could lead to further action from players.
Fifa told BBC Sport it “values its partnership with Aramco” and stressed that sponsorship revenues were reinvested in the women’s game at all levels.
The governing body dropped plans for Visit Saudi, the country’s tourism arm, to sponsor the 2023 Women’s World Cup, following a backlash from co-hosts Australia and New Zealand, players and sponsors about the proposed deal.
The kingdom has expressed interest in hosting the 2035 Women’s World Cup and is the sole bidder for the men’s finals in ten years’ time. Last month, the chief executive of Saudi Arabia’s bid said hosting the 2034 World Cup had nothing to do with sportswashing and “giant strides” were being made in the country on social reforms.
In June, Amnesty International warned that Saudi’s bid for the 2034 World Cup poses several human rights issues and urged Fifa not to award the tournament to any country which fails to provide guarantees around the safety of those involved in staging and attending the event.
Get access to richer content, exclusive reports, unparalleled business intelligence, and community benefits to help you navigate the next frontier of sport and make more informed decisions with a SportsPro+ Premium membership. Discover more here.

source

Post Views: 10