"Break Ties with Human Rights-Abusing Saudi Arabia and Aramco"…Women Football Players Send Protest Letter to FIFA

FIFA Extends World Cup Sponsorship with Aramco in April
Women Soccer Players' Letter: "Break Ties with Human Rights-Ignoring Aramco"
Oil Money Saudi 'Sportswashing' Controversy Spreads
Saudi Crown Prince: "Doesn't Matter If Money Is Made"

Female professional soccer players have called on the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to sever ties with Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil company Aramco. They demand an end to Aramco's financial manipulation of the football world, given Saudi Arabia's disregard for women's rights.

Promotional photo of Saudi state-owned company Aramco [Photo by Aramco]

On the 21st (local time), CNN reported that "more than 100 female soccer players sent an open letter to FIFA urging the termination of sponsorship contracts with Saudi Arabia and Aramco." Earlier, FIFA signed a contract in April to extend its global partnership with Aramco for four years. As a result, Aramco became the official sponsor of the 2026 Men's World Cup and the 2027 Women's World Cup.

In the letter, the female soccer players stated, "Saudi Arabia tramples not only on women's rights but also on the freedoms of all other citizens," and pointed out that "many LGBTQ+ players are active, so promoting Aramco at the 2027 World Cup is inappropriate." Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia, but last year Saudi Arabia welcomed LGBTQ+ tourists.

In response, a FIFA spokesperson told CNN, "FIFA values partnerships with Aramco and other partners," adding, "The sponsorship revenue generated by FIFA is reinvested in all sports, and investment in women's soccer continues to increase." The spokesperson also described Aramco as an "inclusive organization" with a rich portfolio of commercial partnerships across various sports and organizations.

There has been much criticism of Saudi Arabia's massive financial influence in the sports world as "sports washing." Sports washing refers to using major sports events to project a positive image of a country worldwide. Regarding this, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman once said, "I don't care." In a 2023 interview with Fox News, he stated, "If sports washing increases the gross domestic product (GDP) by 1%, then we will continue sports washing."

The letter also addressed not only human rights issues but also Aramco's profits from oil, a major contributor to climate change, calling it "one of the companies most responsible for burning the future of football." They said, "Grassroots football worldwide is being destroyed by extreme heat, drought, fires, and floods, but while we all bear the consequences, Saudi Arabia cheers on FIFA and profits." They urged, "We call on FIFA to reconsider this partnership and replace Saudi Aramco with an alternative sponsor whose values align with gender equality, human rights, and a safe future for the planet."

In April, FIFA announced on its website, "We have signed a sponsorship contract with Aramco until 2027," stating, "Aramco is FIFA's exclusive worldwide partner in the energy sector and holds sponsorship rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup." Although the details of the contract were not disclosed, it is known to be the highest amount ever.

According to the BBC, Saudi Arabia had signed 312 sponsorship contracts across 21 sports disciplines by November last year. Amnesty International urged FIFA regarding the sponsorship deal with Aramco, stating, "FIFA must establish binding measures to prevent Saudi Arabia from exploiting, discriminating against, and oppressing people."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.