ZURICH - The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has announced a partnership with Saudi Arabian oil and gas conglomerate, Saudi Aramco. The partnership, which will run through to the end of 2027, was announced in a statement on Thursday.
The four-year deal will see Aramco become a worldwide partner of FIFA, including in major tournaments such as the World Cup 2026 and the Women’s World Cup 2027.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in the statement, “This partnership will assist FIFA to successfully deliver its flagship tournaments…enable us to provide enhanced support to our 211 FIFA member associations across the globe.”
Saudi Arabia has been investing heavily in sports worldwide, including golf, football, motorsports, and martial arts. Sport is one of the pillars of the government’s Vision economic diversification plan that seeks to build new industries and create jobs.
State-owned Aramco owns the Saudi second-tier side Al-Qadsiah and is building a stadium in Dammam that will stage matches during the Asian Cup 2027 and potentially the World Cup 2034, which Saudi Arabia is all but certain to host.
Aramco president and CEO Amin H. Nasser said, “Through this partnership with FIFA we aim to contribute to football development and harness the power of sport to make an impact on the globe.”
This partnership marks a significant milestone in the global sports landscape, highlighting the increasing role of Saudi Arabia in the world of sports.
