Saudi Arabia to sponsor Women’s World Cup and tighten ties with Fifa

• Tourist authority joins international brands on list
• World Cup starts on 20 July at Eden Park, Auckland

Saudia Arabia’s tourist authority is to sponsor football’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this year, despite the country’s history of oppression of women’s rights.

Fifa is expected to confirm that Visit Saudi will join international brands such as Adidas, Coca-Cola and Visa in attaching its name to the 32-team tournament that will kick off in front of an expected 50,000 supporters at Auckland’s Eden Park on 20 July.