Fifa has announced a partnership with Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil company, Aramco.
The deal is in place until 2027, giving Aramco sponsorship rights for the men's World Cup in 2026 and the Women's World Cup the following year.
The company already has sponsorship deals within Formula 1 and is a partner of the International Cricket Council. "Aramco has a strong track record of supporting world-class events, but also a focus on developing grassroots sport initiatives," said Fifa president Gianni Infantino.Saudi Arabia has been accused by critics of investing in sport and using high-profile events to improve its international reputation - a process that has been labelled 'sportswashing'.
The 2030 World Cup has drawn criticism from environmental groups because it is being held across six countries from three different continents, but Fifa said it wouldFollowing news of the Fifa deal on Thursday, campaign group Fossil Free Football said: "Saudi Aramco and the Saudi state are determined to keep the world addicted to fossil fuels.
"They now get the world's biggest platform to sell their polluting products and try to clean up their image."Independent think tank Carbon Tracker says that Aramco is "the world's largest corporate greenhouse gas emitter".How did five female climbers end up in a deadly race?Can France stop England's Grand Slam bid?
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