The host nations said they were unaware of the deal and “urgently” asked FIFA to answer questions about it. The deal is controversial due to Saudi Arabia’s poor reputation for women’s rights.
The Women’s World Cup is this summer. The Dutch national team is one of 32 participating countries.
“Shocked and Disappointed”
The football associations of Australia and New Zealand said they were “shocked and disappointed” that FIFA had not consulted the World Cup host countries.
Amnesty International also immediately got involved asking how is it possible that the Saudi tourist board can sponsor a women’s football world championship when as a woman in Saudi Arabia you can’t even have a job without a man’s consent.
Make more assertive
At the request of Amnesty International, New Zealand Sports Minister Grant Robertson felt compelled to approach FIFA over the sponsorship deal.
“When it comes to women’s sport here in New Zealand, we’ve made huge strides and part of that is empowering women and girls in sport, but also in life in general,” Robertson said. in a press release. “I would like FIFA to understand this and take it into account in trade agreements.”
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