Football: US Soccer to ‘voice concerns’ over Saudi sponsorship at Women’s World Cup

CHICAGO – The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) said on Wednesday it would voice its concerns to Fifa over a reported Saudi Arabian sponsorship deal for the Women’s World Cup.

Last week, co-hosts Australia and New Zealand wrote to Fifa seeking urgent clarification after The Guardian reported Visit Saudi will be named as a major sponsor of the July 20-Aug 20 tournament.

“US Soccer strongly supports human rights and equity for all and believes in the power of our sport to have a positive impact,” the USSF said in a statement to The Athletic. “While we cannot control how other organisations manage sponsorship selections for the tournaments we compete in, we can voice our concerns and will continue to support our players.”

The United States are Fifa’s top-ranked team and won the last two editions of the World Cup, the last time in France in 2019. In all, they have won the World Cup and Olympic competition four times each.

The Guardian report triggered outrage in both host countries, with human rights activists and sportswomen saying Saudi sponsorship would be at odds with the tournament’s messaging on empowerment of women and girls.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has introduced reforms allowing women greater control over their lives in recent years but men still retain a tight grip on power in the kingdom.

Veteran US forward Alex Morgan, who won the World Cup in 2015 and 2019, described the potential sponsorship as “bizarre”.

“Morally, it just doesn’t make sense,” the 33-year-old told reporters on Wednesday. “I just don’t understand it... I really hope that Fifa does the right thing.”

Former Australia international and former Fifa council member Moya Dodd has accused the governing body of a lack of understanding of the women’s game.

Writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, Dodd, one of the first women to serve on Fifa’s decision-making body, questioned the prospect of a commercial tie-up between the tournament and a country where gay sex is a criminal offence.

“There will be many LGBTQ+ players and fans at the Women’ s World Cup for whom football is a place where they can express themselves,” Dodd, who played 24 times for Australia and served on the council from 2013 to 2016, wrote. “If any of those fans are watching from Saudi Arabia, they will be living with grave risks.

“For Fifa to tell LGBTQ players and fans they should ‘Visit Saudi’ is to send them to a jurisdiction where they are regarded as criminals.

“Fifa would be selling them into persecution. It’s hard to imagine a greater mismatch for the unique and valuable audience the women’s game has accrued.” REUTERS