Saudi Arabia bags Lay's as headline sponsor for Women's Premier League

The GIST: On Wednesday, the Saudi Women’s Premier League (SWPL) — the country’s top flight for pro women’s soccer — bagged Lay’s as its first headline sponsor through a three-year partnership with PepsiCo. It’s called stacking all the chips.

The details: Under the deal, which is the largest sponsorship of women’s sports in Saudi Arabia ever, the SWPL will now be referred to as the Saudi Women’s Premier League Powered by Lay’s.

• The PepsiCo partnership comes right before the eight-team league commences its second season today, and Lay’s isn’t giving the league its only first: this will also be the inaugural season for live SWPL television broadcasts.

The context: Lay’s may be new to women’s soccer in the Gulf, but the world’s largest chip brand savors an exclusive partnership with FIFA. Following its 2022 men’s World Cup success, Frito-Lay became the 2023 Women’s World Cup’s official American snack through the company’s largest investment in women’s sports. Greatness on display.

The landscape: Mere years after women were banned from attending soccer matches, the Lay’s partnership reflects a shift in Saudi Arabia’s mindset towards investing in women’s sports. Saudi women have been systematically integrated into a workforce that now employs them as soccer referees, coaches, and players.

• While concerns about the nation's sportswashing remain, Saudi investment in women’s sports is likely just at its infancy.