Saudi wealth fund’s expansion into North American soccer raises questions

• Concacaf signed partnership with PIF in August
• Human Rights Watch decries deal as sportswashing

A leading human rights organization has described a sponsorship deal between Concacaf and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) as sportswashing, criticizing the host confederation for 2026 World Cup as complicit in covering up the murder of journalists as well as the repression of women and human rights activists.

Concacaf, the confederation that includes nations from North and Central America and the Caribbean, announced its partnership with the Saudi sovereign wealth fund in August claiming Saudi Arabia's investment will increase the number of youth tournaments and community programs it manages in its region".