The chairman of Women in Football Australia, Bonita Mersiades, has called out the “hypocrisy” of such a deal.
Mersiades told The Athletic: “The proposed Visit Saudi sponsorship of the Women’s World Cup is yet another example of FIFA’s and world football’s hypocrisy when it comes to their stated values versus where the money comes from.
“On the one hand, they have a policy which espouses respect for women and LGBTQI rights, amongst others, and on the other hand, they have no compunction in accepting big sponsorship dollars from an organisation representing a nation that neither shares those values nor respects those rights.
“It points to a culture in world football that is no different, and is arguably worse, than it was a decade ago. It will only change if those with alternative, genuine power and influence say ‘enough is enough’, and get together and force change.”