Saudi oil giant Aramco becomes the main global partner of the International Football Federation (FIFA) until the end of 2027.
The deal, the amount of which was not disclosed, allows the Saudi public company to become a partner of FIFA "with rights covering several events", including the 2026 men's and 2027 women's World Cups.
Saudi Arabia, rich in oil and often criticized for human rights violations, has been investing billions of dollars in sports for several years.
Investing in sports is part of the strategy led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as part of the large "Vision 2023" project, which aims to transform the kingdom into a country of business and tourism and reduce its dependence on oil.
"This partnership will help FIFA successfully deliver its flagship competitions over the next four years and, like all our other commercial agreements, will allow us to continue to support our 211 member associations around the world," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
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