More than 100 professional female footballers have signed a letter calling on Fifa to end its sponsorship deal with the state-owned Saudi Arabian oil company Aramco, accusing Saudi authorities of “brutal human rights violations”.
In a four-year deal signed in April Aramco, which is 98.5% state-owned, will sponsor major tournaments including the men’s World Cup in 2026 and the Women’s World Cup in 2027. Campaigners have accused Saudi Arabia of “sportswashing” – using its investment in sport to cover up its poor human rights record.
