Women footballers call on FIFA to drop Saudi Aramco as sponsor

More than 100 female professional footballers from 24 countries have called on the sport's governing body FIFA to end its sponsorship deal with Saudi oil giant Aramco, citing human rights issues and treatment of the LGBTQ+ community as well as environmental concerns.

FIFA brought Aramco, 98.5 percent-owned by the Saudi state, on board as a major sponsor earlier this year in a deal that runs through to 2027, a period during which there will be the men's and women's World Cups -- in 2026 and a year later.