On Thursday, FIFA officially announced a sponsorship deal with Saudi Arabia’s state oil company Aramco. The agreement, which runs until 2027, covers major FIFA tournaments including the upcoming 2026 Men’s World Cup and the 2027 Women’s World Cup. The hosts of the Women’s World Cup will be decided next month.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has developed a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia and its Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the years. In fact, the bidding process for the 2034 World Cup was tailored in a way that appeared to heavily favor Saudi Arabia. Despite objections from tournament organizers in Australia and New Zealand, Saudi Arabia emerged as the only candidate for the 2034 hosting rights by October.
Although specific financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed, it is believed to be one of FIFA’s most lucrative deals in terms of average annual value. It may also include the upcoming 32-team Club World Cup due to be held in the United States next year.
In recent years, Visit Saudi had played a minor sponsorship role in the 2018 World Cup held in Qatar. However, they did not participate as a sponsor in last year’s 2023 Women’s World Cup due to objections from tournament organizers in Australia and New Zealand.