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Over 100 professional women’s football players have signed an open letter urging FIFA to end its partnership with Saudi Arabian oil company Aramco.
In April this year, FIFA signed a four-year deal with Aramco to become a worldwide partner including for the 2026 men’s World Cup and the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
In the letter, 106 players from 24 countries, including Matildas players Aivi Luik and Alex Chidaic said they were concerned about Saudi Arabia’s human rights reputation and treatment of women and LGBTQ+ people.
The players also said they were concerned about the climate change impact of Aramco, an oil giant that is 98.5 per cent owned by Saudi Arabia.
“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,” the letter reads.
The letter also addressed concerns about Saudi Arabia’s imprisonment of women including Salma al-Shehab, Manal al-Gafiri, Fatima al-Shawarbi, Sukaynah al-Aithan and Nourah al-Qahtani.
“The Saudi authorities trample not only on the rights of women, but on the freedom of all other citizens too. Imagine LGBTQ+ players, many of whom are heroes of our sport, being expected to promote Saudi Aramco during the 2027 World Cup, the national oil company of a regime that criminalises the relationships that they are in and the values they stand for?” the letter says.
“As the largest state-owned oil and gas company in the world, Saudi Aramco is one of the corporations which is most responsible for burning football’s future.
“Grassroots football across the world is being smashed by extreme heat, drought, fires and floods, but as we all pay the consequences Saudi Arabia rakes in its profits, with FIFA as its cheerleader.”
Former captain of the US women’s team, Becky Sauerbrunn, said she was proud to be part of the group of players taking a stand on the issue.
“The safety of those women, the rights of women, LGBTQ+ rights and the health of the planet need to take a much bigger priority over FIFA making more money,” Sauerbrunn said.
The players also noted that FIFA’s decision-making council is dominated by men, with women making up just 22 per cent of its members.
“FIFA’s recent decisions are made by a Council of 37, of which only 8 are women (22%). These are decisions made by men privileged enough not to be threatened by Saudi authorities’ treatment of women, those who are LGBTQ+, migrants, minorities or those whose present and future are most at threat from climate change,” the letter reads.
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