FIFA president Gianni Infantino has announced that the governing body of world football has dropped plans for Saudi Arabia to sponsor the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
It follows a backlash from co-hosts Australia and New Zealand, players and sponsors about the proposed deal.
Infantino said talks had taken place with Visit Saudi, the gulf country’s tourism arm, about sponsoring the tournament.
The Swiss official, who has been re-elected unopposed as Fifa president, also said Fifa is aiming to have equal prize money for the men’s and women’s World Cup by 2027.
Infantino said he would not have seen an issue with Saudi Arabia sponsoring a World Cup in Australia and New Zealand as “Fifa is an organisation of 211 countries, for us they are all the same,” and given that there is $1.5bn worth of trade between Australia and Saudi Arabia every year.