SWPL players could 'not stay silent' over Saudi deal

Tessel Middag is one of 11 Scottish top-flight players to sign a letter to Fifa

Rangers midfielder Tessel Middag says she and more than 100 players felt they could "not stay silent" after signing a letter calling on world football governing body Fifa to end its controversial partnership agreement with Saudi Arabian oil giant Aramco.

Fifa earlier this year announced the deal until 2027 with the state-owned company, which now has sponsorship rights to the men’s World Cup in 2026 and the Women’s World Cup the following year.

But players drawn from 24 countries, including 11 from the Scottish Women's Premier League, have called on Fifa to reconsider on humanitarian and environmental grounds.

"It is almost entirely owned by the Saudi regime, which we know commits human rights abuses," Netherlands international Middag told BBC Radio Scotland. "For women, it is not a very safe place to be - there's a disobedience law still in place.

"It is not just about women's rights, it's about human rights and climate action. All of those things are hugely important but not as important to Fifa as the sponsorship money Aramco can bring."

Saudi Arabia has been accused by critics of investing in various sports and using high-profile events to improve its international reputation.

Aramco has not commented on the letter from the women players, while Fifa told BBC Sport that sponsorship revenues were reinvested in the women's game at all levels.

While Middag, who is vice-chair of players union PFA Scotland, applauded that, she added: "We have to be aware of how these investments are used and how they are maybe to mask certain human rights abuses, which I don't think we can stay silent about.

"I and more than 100 other female footballers have the possibility and freedom to speak out against sponsorship deals like these, but we know that women in Saudi Arabia don't have that right and that's why we want to make this stand."

Joining Middag in signing the letter are Rangers team-mate Jane Ross, fellow Scotland international Lisa Evans, of Glasgow City, Celtic's Mathilde Carstens, Hibernian's Ciara Grant and Rosie Livingstone, Heart of Midlothian's Emma Ilijoski, Dundee United's Abbie Cusack, Motherwell's Gillian Inglis and Spartans duo Ella Beaton-Hill and Hannah Jordan.