In their letter, the athletes cite human rights violations as grounds to terminate the agreement and call on FIFA to establish a review committee for evaluating future sponsors.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his associates were already facing challenges with organizing the Club World Cup. Still, now they are dealing with the backlash from prominent figures in women’s football over the sponsorship deal with Saudi Aramco.

As part of Saudi Arabia’s broader investment initiatives, Aramco is set to provide substantial funding to FIFA to sponsor the Men’s World Cup in 2026 and the Women’s World Cup in 2027.

Criticism of Saudi Arabia’s attempts to cleanse its global image through investments from the Public Investment Fund (PIF) has been growing, with opponents emphasizing that the country lacks basic freedoms.

This time, the reaction has been more widespread, as 100 female footballers, including well-known names like Manchester City striker Vivianne Miedema, Canada captain Jessie Fleming, and former U.S. captain Becky Sauerbrunn, have signed and sent a letter to FIFA.

“We call on 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,” the letter states, signed by a total of 100 athletes. The letter also proposes the creation of an evaluation committee, including a player representative, to examine the ethical implications of future sponsorship deals.

From Saudi Arabia’s side, these claims are dismissed as unfounded, and FIFA has shown no inclination to end its partnership.

“FIFA values its collaboration with Aramco and its many other commercial and licensing partners,” a FIFA spokesperson said, adding:
“FIFA is an inclusive organization with many commercial partners who also support other sports organizations. The revenues generated from FIFA sponsorships are reinvested into the game at all levels, and investment in women’s football continues to grow, including the historic FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup and its innovative new distribution model.”