U.S. women’s national team forward Alex Morgan spoke out against FIFA possibly bringing on Visit Saudi — the official tourism authority for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia — as a sponsor of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the SheBelieves Cup, which the USWNT is participating in alongside Brazil, Canada and Japan, Morgan said she found the news “bizarre.”
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“I think it’s bizarre that FIFA has looked to have a Visit Saudi sponsorship for the Women’s World Cup when I, myself, Alex Morgan, would not even be supported and accepted in that country,” she said. “I just don’t understand it.”
Teammate Taylor Kornieck added: “We obviously can’t control who FIFA partners with. But at the end of the day, U.S. Soccer, we believe in partnering with people who align with our values best.”
Reports about FIFA possibly bringing on Visit Saudi as a Women’s World Cup sponsor emerged almost a week ago. The move was made without consulting the footballing authorities in either of the host nations, Australia and New Zealand.
New Zealand Football issued a statement to Reuters which said: “If these reports…