FIFA’s announcement of a new partnership with Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil giant of Saudi Arabia, has sparked a heated debate among human rights advocates. The four-year deal, which runs until the end of 2027, grants Aramco the highly coveted sponsorship rights for both the 2026 Men’s World Cup and the subsequent year’s Women’s World Cup. While FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, praised Aramco for its history of supporting major sporting events and grassroots initiatives, critics fear that the move is nothing but a tactic of “sportswashing” – a strategy where countries with a questionable human rights record leverage high-profile sporting events to enhance their international reputation.
Saudi Arabia has been facing severe backlash for its abysmal human rights record, which includes the brutal 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The country has also come under fire for its severe restrictions on women’s rights, the criminalization of homosexuality, and its role in the ongoing war in Yemen. Despite this, a recent report revealed that Saudi Arabia has more than 300 sponsorship deals across 21 sports, indicating the extent of the country’s “sportswashing” efforts.
The decision to partner with Aramco and the potential awarding of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia raises serious questions about FIFA’s commitment to human rights. While FIFA has defended its choice by arguing that awarding major tournaments can bring about positive social change, critics remain sceptical about whether such changes are ever truly implemented or if they are just a performance for the global audience during the tournament.
Human rights group Amnesty International has issued a strong plea to FIFA to prioritize human rights and to secure binding agreements with Saudi Arabia that protect people from exploitation, discrimination, and oppression before awarding them the hosting rights for the World Cup. The fact that Saudi Arabia is the only bidder for the 2034 World Cup has intensified the scrutiny of FIFA’s decision-making process.
The controversy surrounding the World Cup is not new to FIFA, as the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the upcoming 2022 tournament in Qatar have both been criticized for the host nations’ human rights records. However, the decision to partner with Aramco and the potential awarding of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia have further highlighted the issue of FIFA’s commitment to human rights. It remains to be seen whether FIFA will prioritize financial gain over human rights principles, but Amnesty International’s call for binding agreements is a crucial step in ensuring that these issues are not swept under the rug.
