Saudi PIF Confirms LIV Golf Funding Cut

The LIV Golf sign at a 2026 LIV Golf League events — (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund has officially announced the reason behind withdrawing funding from LIV Golf.

The PIF said continuing to invest in LIV Golf was "no longer consistent with the current phase of PIF’s investment strategy" as it confirmed that 2026 would be the final season funding the team-based tour.

LIV Golf players and staff were all told of the news in the past two weeks, before this week being briefed on the new strategy for attracting investment.

After five seasons and over $5bn, though, there'll be no more financial backing coming from the Saudi PIF.

"PIF has made the decision to fund LIV Golf only for the remainder of the 2026 season," read the statement.

"The substantial investment required by LIV Golf over a longer term is no longer consistent with the current phase of PIF's investment strategy.

"This decision has been made in light of PIF's investment priorities and current macro dynamics. The LIV Golf Board has created a committee of independent directors to evaluate strategic alternatives for its future beyond PIF's funding horizon.

Time is running out for LIV Golf to find new investors to keep the league going beyond 2026

"LIV Golf has substantially grown the game globally through its transformational and positive impact. It has forever changed the game of golf for the better.

"PIF remains committed to deploying capital internationally in line with its investment strategy, including its substantial current and future investments in various sports as a priority sector."

LIV chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan is set to leave his post with the PIF's involvement coming to an end - which would be a landmark move as he co-founded the tour alongside Greg Norman.

Al-Rumayyan is a huge golf fan and that passion for the game was behind him getting involved, but after the PIF ploughed so much money into it the time has come for them to scale back.

The PIF statement does confirm though that the rest of the 2026 LIV Golf season should go ahead as planned, after June's new event in New Orleans was postponed.

It looks highly unlikely now that it will go ahead later in the year as suggested, with LIV's big focus now on securing funding and the tour's future.

Events in Mexico, South Africa and Australia in 2027 have already been announced, but without some serious funding and a serious cutting of costs they're likely to be lost.

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.