More than 100 female professional footballers from 24 countries have called on the sport's governing body FIFA to end its sponsorship deal with Saudi oil giant Aramco, citing human rights issues and treatment of the LGBTQ+ community as well as environmental concerns.

More than 100 women’s footballers have urged Fifa to drop a sponsorship deal with Saudi oil giant Aramco, branding it a “middle finger” to the female game.Manchester City’s Vivianne Miedema and England defender Niamh Charles are among signatories drawn on a letter saying the deal is “worse than an own goal”.

More than 100 soccer players from the women’s game have signed an open letter to FIFA, urging the game’s world governing body to end its sponsorship deal with Saudi oil and gas company Aramco.