GENEVA (AP) — FIFA deepened its ties to Saudi Arabia by confirming a sponsorship on Thursday with the kingdom’s state oil firm Aramco which made a profit of $121 billion last year.
The deal was expected and became inevitable once Saudi Arabia was all but sealed last October as the 2034 host of the men’s World Cup.
The deal through 2027 includes the men’s World Cup in 2026 co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Hosts of that tournament will be decided next month in a three-candidate vote.
The value of the Aramco deal was not disclosed but is likely the richest ever for FIFA by average annual value. The inaugural 32-team Club World Cup being hosted next year in the U.S. was not specified by FIFA though could be part of a separate deal.
“Through the partnership, Aramco and FIFA intend to leverage the power of football to create impactful social initiatives around the world,” the soccer body said in a statement.
