PIF’s LIV Golf exit raises bigger questions over Saudi sports spending

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is set to end its financial backing of LIV Golf after this season, leaving the breakaway golf series facing an uncertain future. The move does not mean Saudi Arabia is leaving sport, but it does suggest a more selective approach to spending.

The BBC report says PIF framed the LIV decision as part of a revised investment strategy focused on long-term value. That matters because Saudi Arabia has spent heavily across global sport in recent years, from football and boxing to Formula 1, tennis and major event hosting, while also preparing to stage the men’s FIFA World Cup in 2034.

Several other Saudi-linked sports plans have reportedly changed, including postponed, cancelled or non-renewed events. However, the picture is not a full retreat: boxing, esports, football commitments and infrastructure projects remain part of the broader landscape, and the report says PIF’s long-term commitment to Newcastle United is unchanged.

For editors and fans, the key issue is whether LIV Golf was a special case because of its losses and uncertain path, or an early sign that Saudi-backed sport will now have to prove clearer domestic value and financial sustainability.