Over 100 female professional footballers from 24 countries have signed an open letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, urging him to end the organisation’s sponsorship deal with Saudi Aramco.
The players cite human rights concerns, the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community, and environmental issues as reasons for their opposition.
In an open letter addressed to Infantino, the players expressed their frustration, stating, “Aramco sponsorship is a middle finger to women’s football.”
The deal, which FIFA signed with Aramco earlier this year, runs until 2027, covering the next men’s and women’s World Cups.
The footballers described the sponsorship as “much worse than an own goal for football,” accusing FIFA of aligning with a sponsor that contradicts the sport’s values. “FIFA might as well pour oil on the pitch and set it alight,” the letter read, emphasising the players’ discontent. “We deserve so much better from our governing body than its allyship with this nightmare sponsor.”
Among the signatories were notable names like Manchester City’s Vivianne Miedema, Inter Milan’s Sofie Junge Pedersen, former U.S. captain Becky Sauerbrunn, and national team captains Jessie Fleming (Canada), Elena Linari (Italy), and Doris Bačić (Croatia).
The players highlighted Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, particularly its treatment of women and LGBTQ+ communities, accusing the country of using sports sponsorships to distract from its controversial reputation. “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,” they said.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has made significant investments in global sports, particularly football, with its sovereign wealth fund driving acquisitions and sponsorships. However, critics accuse the kingdom of “sports washing” its human rights issues through these investments.
The footballers concluded their letter by urging FIFA to reconsider its partnership with Aramco and seek alternative sponsors that align with values of gender equality, human rights, and environmental sustainability. They also proposed creating a review committee, with player representation, to assess the ethical implications of future sponsorship deals.
In response, a FIFA spokesperson told AFP that the organization “values its partnership with Aramco” and reaffirmed that sponsorship revenues are reinvested into the development of football at all levels, including women’s football.
The spokesperson noted that FIFA’s updated Women’s Football Strategy for 2023-2027 outlines continued investment in the women’s game, building on the success of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
