Izuchukwu OkosiWorld football governing body, FIFA, have concluded a partnership with a Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Aramco for the men’s World Cup in 2026 and the Women’s World Cup in 2027.
The oil firm has ongoing deals with Formula 1 companies and are partners of the International Cricket Council.
“Aramco has a strong track record of supporting world-class events, but also a focus on developing grassroots sports initiatives,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino told the media.
The talks on the partnership begun on Thursday and has been successful despite the many criticisms on the Saudi Arabian government accused of using sports as a means of covering their human rights infractions, a process commonly called ‘sports washing’.
Saudi Arabia is expected to host the 2034 FIFA men’s World Cup.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
