Socceristas, we have some good news for you to hear. FIFA has finally decided to drop the controversial Visit Saudi sponsorship following backlash. While this is a great step, it is still disappointing that this sponsorship was discussed in the first place.
We can argue that if it weren’t for the pushback the sponsorship received, FIFA would have moved forward with it. Therefore, we are thankful that soccer players and football federations spoke up about what would have been an unfortunate event. Here are the events that led to this relieving moment.
The Backlash From Co-hosts New Zealand and Australia
The beginning of the controversy surrounding the Visit Saudi sponsorship was the possibility of such a deal. The deal doesn’t align with the beliefs of female soccer players and their federations regarding human rights–the country has rigid restrictions on the rights of women and LGBTQ+.
What made matters even worse was the fact that FIFA didn’t consult Australia and New Zealand before discussing the deal. This was enough to urge the federations to intervene and show their dissatisfaction.
Bonita Mersiades, the chairman of Women in Football Australia, told The Athletic, “The proposed Visit Saudi sponsorship of the Women’s World Cup is…
