Saudi Arabia: The 2023 Women’s World Cup co-hosts New Zealand and Australia stated that they “urgently” want clarification from FIFA on rumours that Saudi Arabia’s tourism board will sponsor the event. Visit Saudi is in line to be one of the sponsors of the 32-team football competition starting on July 20 in New Zealand and Australia.

Despite the Gulf kingdom’s dismal history with women’s rights, the sponsorship agreement appears to be moving forward. Football Australia and New Zealand Football officials claimed they were unaware of the proposed agreement and that they “have jointly written to FIFA to urgently clarify the situation.”

Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, has stated that he anticipates two billion viewers to watch the ninth Women’s World Cup. The world’s governing body of football hopes it will accelerate the growth of the women’s game with the event being split between two nations for the first time.

Former Australian international Kathryn Gill stated that FIFA has an obligation to uphold all universally acknowledged human rights and to use its great influence when those rights are not upheld or protected.

“The players’ objective is to make the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup a genuine force for good and they will continue to hold FIFA to account when they undermine this,” added Gill, co-chief executive of Australia’s professional footballers’ union.

Grant Robertson, the sports minister for New Zealand, has also been encouraged by the rights group to “to speak out on Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, urge true reform and pressure FIFA to do the same.”

Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in football in an effort to boost its reputation after Gulf neighbours Qatar hosted the men’s FIFA World Cup last year.

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