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.
The regime has recently handed down long prison sentences to a number of women, often in secret trials, after they used social media to advocate for more rights and freedoms for women.
This year Manahel al-Otaibi, aged 30, was sentenced to 11 years in prison after using social media to call for an end to rules dictating that women needed the permission of a male relative to marry or travel. A Leeds University student, Salma al‑Shehab, received a 34-year prison term for tweeting in support of women’s rights.
In the letter published on Monday, the women said girls who would be the players of the future deserved much better from the sport’s governing body than its “allyship with this nightmare sponsor”.
The signatories said: “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.
“It is because we stand alongside the citizens of Saudi Arabia whose human rights are violated that we are speaking out. We don’t want to be part of covering up these violations.
“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.
“A corporation that bears glaring responsibility for the climate crisis, owned by a state that criminalises LGBTQ+ individuals and systematically oppresses women, has no place sponsoring our beautiful game.”
Fifa was criticised last year over plans to make Visit Saudi, the country’s tourist authority, a leading sponsor of the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Saudi activists said the footballers’ letter “spoke louder that any PR campaign ever could”.
Lina al-Hathloul, head of monitoring and advocacy at ALQST for Human Rights, said: “As long as Saudi Arabia’s authorities fail to genuinely respect women’s rights and freedom, their reputation will continue to impede any lofty ambitions they may have. Thank you to these women for standing with the brave women of Saudi Arabia.”
Aramco has been contacted for comment.
In a statement to the Guardian, Fifa said sponsorship revenues were reinvested in the game at all levels and that investment in women’s football continued to increase, including for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
