More than 100 female footballers do not want Saudi Arabia to host the FIFA World Cup 2034. For this purpose, they have signed a letter asking FIFA to end its sponsorship deal with Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company, Aramco. The players claimed that Saudi Arabia is involved in serious human rights violations, particularly against women.
To support major events, Aramco signed a 4-year deal in April. This includes the 2026 Men’s World Cup and the 2027 Women’s World Cup. According to critics, the Saudi nation misuses these sports events to hide its reality and improve its image at the global level. This practice is known as “sportswashing”. This permits the nation to distract the people’s attention from human rights abuses to sports.
Women who spoke in front of the media for their rights got a hard punishment. They were sentenced to jail for long periods, often in secret trials for speaking against the nation. These women were only demanding their basic rights and freedoms.
The actions of Saudi authorities highlight their ongoing repression, making the sponsorship deal with FIFA seem like an attempt to cover up their harsh treatment of women.
This year, Manahel al-Otaibi was sentenced to prison for almost years. She is a 30-year-old woman who used social media platforms to raise her voice and speak against Saudi laws. These rules are related to requiring women to get a male relative’s permission to marry or travel. Similarly, one of the students at Leeds University, Salma al-Shehab, got the punishment and was sentenced to 34 years in prison. Just because she supports women’s rights on social media platforms.
More than 100 female athletes wrote a letter that was released on Monday. They argue that future players deserve better treatment from the host nation than supporting a controversial sponsor.
The letter’s signatories pointed out that Saudi Arabia spends billions on sports sponsorships to divert attention from its serious human rights issues. The nation’s stance is highlighted by its harsh treatment of women. The nation’s effort to improve its image with the help of sport does not hide its human rights record. Additionally, women’s rights are one of the critical issues of Saudi Arabia that can never be ignored.
According to signatories, we are raising our voices because we support the people of Saudi Arabia who have suffered. Saudi officials violated their basic human rights. It is crucial to not take part in any game that hides the reality of human rights abuses. FIFA needs to rethink its partnership with Saudi Arabia. Choosing a sponsor who cares about gender equality, human rights, and protecting the environment for future generations is important.
Furthermore, Saudi Aramco is one of the major culprits of the environmental crisis. The nation is under the leadership of such a government that is famous for its oppression of women and its criminalization of LGBTQ+ individuals. This nation can not know the importance of fairness, equality, and inclusiveness. All of these factors should be part of the sport.
By allowing such a sponsorship, FIFA risks promoting practices that go against the core principles of the game. Partnering with more ethical companies would better reflect the values of equality and sustainability in football.
Last year, FIFA came under fire for its intention to have Visit Saudi, the Saudi tourism bureau, serve as a major sponsor of the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. According to critics, including Saudi activists, a letter from football players denouncing the plan was more effective than any public relations campaign.
According to Lina al-Hathloul of the ALQST for Human Rights, Saudi Arabia’s goals will remain unfulfilled as long as the nation disregards the liberties and rights of women. She commended the football players for their solidarity with Saudi women.
FIFA defended itself by claiming that sponsorship funds are used to fund football at all levels and that funding for women’s football has increased, especially for the 2023 World Cup.
One significant Saudi business, Aramco, has yet to respond to the inquiry.