Football/ Over 100 Female Footballers urge FIFA to end Saudi Sponsorship deal

More than 100 professional female footballers have taken a stand against FIFA’s sponsorship deal with Saudi Arabia, calling for its termination in a strongly worded letter.

According to El País, the athletes are protesting against what they describe as the “systematic oppression of women and LGBTQ+ people” in Saudi Arabia, urging FIFA to break ties with the Gulf state and its state-owned oil company.

The letter, signed by 106 players from 24 different countries, includes prominent figures like Sanni Franssi, the Finnish forward who plays for Real Sociedad in Spain’s women’s league.

Their collective action aims to pressure FIFA to reconsider its association with a country widely criticized for its human rights record.

However, the financial stakes are high. The sponsorship deal, the largest ever signed by FIFA, could generate up to €11 billion by 2034.

Given the scale of this revenue, it remains unclear whether FIFA will be willing to relinquish such a significant financial opportunity, despite the growing criticism over Saudi Arabia’s treatment of women and the LGBTQ+ community.