A leading human rights organization has called a sponsorship deal between Concacaf and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) “sportswashing”, criticizing the 2026 World Cup host confederation as complicit of the cover-up of the murder of journalists as well as the repression of women and men. human rights activists.
Concacaf, the confederation that brings together countries from North America, Central America and the Caribbean, announced in August its partnership with the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, saying Saudi Arabia’s investment “will increase the number of youth tournaments and community programs that she manages in her region.
Concacaf President Victor Montagliani said at the time of the announcement that “we are very pleased to announce this new strategic partnership which will support the confederation in the development of football at all levels in our region… Interest in [football] is growing rapidly in our confederation.”
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The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by Concacaf members the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The agreement between Concacaf and the PIF has, however, drawn criticism from a leading non-governmental organization which claims Concacaf ignored Fifa’s statutory human rights requirements in approving the deal.
“Concacaf will host the largest 48-team World Cup ever,” said Minky Worden, director of global initiatives for Human Rights Watch. “Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is credibly implicated in massive human rights abuses and one of the world’s most beloved sporting events should in no way be associated with the horrific crackdown in Saudi Saudi Arabia.
“Concacaf’s sponsorship serves to sport and cover up and whitewash these human rights violations committed by Saudi Arabia, which include the repression of women, the killing of journalists and the repression of human rights defenders. The investment in Concacaf serves to whitewash the abuses of the Saudi Public Investment Fund and this is not acceptable.
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As part of FIFA’s human rights policy, organizations undertake “to identify, address, assess and communicate the risks of involvement having negative impacts on human rights”. In 2016, FIFA adopted the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights which call for “additional measures to protect against human rights abuses by companies owned or controlled by ‘state, or who receive substantial support and services from state agencies.’
However, Fifa does not seem to be following its own directives on these issues and is even preparing to award the organizing rights for the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks.
“Fifa has taken a very cavalier approach to this and has failed to honor the agreement reached with human rights groups to raise the bar on human rights,” said Worden. “[2026] was supposed to be the first World Cup covered by human rights policy. The human rights strategy looks good on paper but has not been implemented in practice. »
In January, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, and Republican Ron Johnson wrote to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to raise concerns about PIF’s business dealings in the United States – based primarily on real estate, technology and sports – and its attempts to block subpoenas. issued to four American companies providing consulting services to the Saudis: Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey & Company, M Klein & Company and Teneo.
The U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigation is charged with investigating foreign powers that may use U.S. trade as a tool of foreign influence. At a 2023 public hearing on a proposed PGA Tour agreement with the PIF, Blumenthal said, “Today’s hearing is about much more than the game of golf. It is about how a brutal and repressive regime can buy influence – or even take control – of a cherished American institution simply to purify its public image. »
Concacaf’s agreement with the PIF follows another agreement by the confederation with Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia. In February this year, Aramco was announced as the “official energy partner” for all Concacaf national teams and club competitions.
Saudi influence was strengthened in August when it was announced that Air Riyadh would be Concacaf’s “official airline partner” in a multi-year deal. The airline is owned by PIF and will operate its first scheduled flights in 2025, promising to operate 100 routes worldwide by 2030. The airline is a jersey sponsor of La Liga’s Atlético Madrid.
PIF is the majority owner of Premier League club Newcastle United and also owns four Saudi Pro League teams, including Al Nassr whose star player is Cristiano Ronaldo. It has significant interests in golf and tennis and is a partner of the ATP and WTA.
Concacaf, headquartered in Miami, did not respond to a request for an interview with Montagliani and declined to answer questions that included clarification on the monetary value of its deal with PIF and whether Concacaf had demonstrated due diligence to ensure respect for Fifa’s human rights. Rights policy and its own code of conduct.
In response to the Guardian’s invitation and inquiries, Concacaf said in a statement issued by a spokesperson:
“We believe in positively engaging with partners around the world to support our mission of developing football at all levels for the benefit of our 41 member unions and their communities. In this context, we have concluded a sponsorship agreement with PIF and Riyadh Air which will allow their brands to benefit from global visibility through our tournaments.
“Additionally, our partnership includes working together to create and implement a grassroots program that will benefit youth in Central America and the Caribbean.
“The PIF and Riyadh Air have a well-established track record of sponsoring a range of global sports, including top-tier football clubs and international tennis organisations. and motorsport. Their sponsorship of Concacaf tournaments will help us continue to grow the game in our region.
PIF did not respond to a request for an interview or comment.
“Businesses, including sports bodies like Concacaf, have a responsibility to respect human rights in all their operations,” Worden said. “Concacaf is expected to adopt specific policies and exercise due diligence to identify risks that will contribute to human rights abuses.
“These harms include the reputational benefits that Concacaf gives to the PIF to cover up human rights violations. In accordance with FIFA’s statutory human rights requirements, Concacaf is required to conduct and make public due diligence on its sponsors. The PIF has a very poor human rights record. This is very problematic.