A raised voice. A collective “no.”
Football has always been viewed as one of those sacred things, free from politics, race, religion. It’s a space where all the things that divide the world are left outside the stadiums, and the game takes centre stage. Governing bodies like FIFA continue to repeat this mantra, warning against mixing sport with politics. Women’s football, however, has never enjoyed that luxury and it has never even attempted to fit into that mould. It may have begun with the right to play, then battles for equal pay and fair working conditions. No matter the fight, women’s football has continuously challenged the notion that sport should be separate from the lives of those who play it.
Once again, the women’s game is being forced to accept a decision that cuts to the core of its values. In April 2024, FIFA announced a global partnership with the Saudi Arabian state owned oil giant Aramco, providing sponsorship rights for multiple events, including the FIFA 2026 Men’s andFIFA 2027 Women’s World Cups. FIFA stated that the four year partnership will benefit the development of football, especially at the grassroots level, but many players are calling it what it truly feels like: a betrayal.
When Progress Meets Profit
Saudi Arabia has drastically increased its involvement in sport over recent years and this sponsorship agreement via Aramco will place raise their profile on the international football stage. While this may have gone unnoticed or unchallenged by many within the footballing world, this announcement was not without challenge from the women’s football community.
Over 120 professional women’s players from around the world have signed an open letter opposing the deal, citing Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, particularly its restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights and environmental concerns. Many of the women set to take the field at the next Women’s World Cup are part of the LGBTQ+ community, are deeply committed to environmental justice, or have long been vocal about various social causes. For them, it is not merely about who pays for the operating expenses of the various tournaments, but about who gets to stand beside them on football’s biggest stage.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time that the women’s football community has rejected a FIFA-sanctioned sponsor. In 2023, ahead of the Women’s World Cup, FIFA faced widespread criticism for partnering with Visit Saudi as a sponsor of the tournament. Players pushed back, stating that Saudi Arabia’s treatment of women contradicted the tournament’s message of empowerment and inclusion. Eventually, FIFA backed down and reversed the decision.
That reversal was the result of collective resistance from the players themselves. Time and time again, women’s football has proven that its power lies in its unity. From the USWNT’s historic equal pay battle to Spain’s stand against sexual abuse, the women’s game has made headlines not just for scoring goals on the field, but for refusing to remain silent.
Unity as a Defining Feature
This is perhaps one of the most striking differences between the men’s and women’s game. Take for example, the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup in Qatar, where several European captains pledged to wear the OneLove armband, a symbol of LGBTQ+ solidarity. A few threats of FIFA sanctions were enough to get these captains and teams to back down and though some teams did attempt to show solidarity in some way, such as the Germany covered-mouths photo-op, the men’s footballing world quickly moved on and very little followed.
Contrast that with the women’s game where, when an issue arises, be it pay disparity, abuse, discrimination, or unjust sponsorship, players across teams, countries, and continents often act in chorus. They release joint statements, sign petitions, and they even boycott, making them unavailable to play in matches. Even when not everyone agrees with the method, there’s an understanding that their collective voice can protect the future of the game. That culture of standing together has been one of women’s football’s defining features and one of its most powerful tools.
For the Girls who are Watching
At the heart of these standoffs is not just a corporate dispute but a message for all women and girls everywhere. To the millions watching, these players are more than just athletes. They are leaders, activists, and role models. These players are showing the world that sport does not exist in a vacuum. They are showing that you don’t have to choose between playing the game and standing up for what you believe in, and even when that choice is forced upon them, there is value in taking the road less travelled. That togetherness, is their strength. It shows every little girl that their voice matters, and they have a right to stand up for what they believe in.
The resistance to the Aramco sponsorship is not about shutting doors, it’s about opening better ones. It’s a call for sponsors who align with the values that women’s football has worked hard to cultivate: equality, freedom, sustainability, and integrity.
The Myth of Neutrality
While FIFA claim that football is neutral and apolitical, what they are really asking for is silence. A silence tat protects their bottom line. This supposed apolitical stance provides a suitable cover for FIFA to sell the game to the highest bidder, regardless of what that bidder represents. Environmentally harmful companies and states with controversial human rights records can have their badge on the sleeve of players for the right figure. Football exists in a world that grapples with inequality, climate crises, and numerous injustices. We must ask ourselves, what is more political, players taking a stand, or governing bodies handing these organisations some of the world’s biggest platforms, when their practises are far from neutral.
What Comes Next?
While it is unlikely that FIFA will reverse it’s decision, it will be interesting to see what comes out of this particular action. The players have a voice as seen in their successful rejection of the Visit Saudi proposal in 2023. Whether FIFA listens or not, women’s football will continue to take a stand.
In a world that once told women and girls that they must be seen and not heard, today’s women’s football community is proving that together, they will be both seen and heard.
