As Iran‘s World Cup match with Belgium kicked off on Sunday afternoon, digital ads around the SoFi Stadium field in Los Angeles flashed the logo of Aramco, the Saudi Arabian state-owned oil giant. Similar advertising appeared on sideline boards during Iran’s World Cup opener against New Zealand in Santa Clara, Calif., when a Visa ad gave way to the Aramco logo exactly 60 seconds into the match. The Aramco messaging was also visible when Iran scored the tying goal in the second half of that 2-2 draw with the Kiwis, and throughout portions of Iran’s 0-0 draw with Belgium.
Aramco is one of FIFA’s top sponsors, a group that will collectively commit nearly $2.7 billion to advertise across the 104 matches in this biggest-ever World Cup. Its presence at a game featuring Iran’s national team is particularly notable: The two countries have been regional rivals for decades, and earlier this year Iran drone attacks targeted multiple Aramco facilities, including its largest refinery. And in March, during the first month of the U.S. war against Iran, The New York Times reported that Saudi leader Mohammed bin Salman urged President Donald Trump to continue hostilities against Iran as Trump mulled winding down the war, though the Saudis denied this was the case.
