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PIF to End $5B LIV Golf Funding After 2026

5/2/2026

Summary

PIF Ends LIV

PIF announced it will cease funding LIV Golf after the 2026 season.
The fund had invested over $5 billion in LIV Golf, including $1 billion for player contracts, and sold a 70 % stake in Al Hilal for €374 million.
Officials said the cut reflects current macro dynamics and the Middle-East war, prompting a strategy shift.
The fund cancelled the $3 million Snooker Masters and ended the three-year WTA Finals run, indicating a wider sports slowdown.

Summary

LIV Golf Restructures

LIV Golf appointed Gene Davis and Jon Zinman to lead a board seeking long-term investors.
Yasir Al-Rumayyan stepped down as LIV Golf chairman, ending his governance role.
The league postponed its June New Orleans tournament, keeping the May 7-10 event at Trump National in Washington, D.C., and six events through August.
LIV Golf targets profitability for ten of its thirteen teams by 2026 and seeks private-equity, sovereign-wealth, and family-office investors.

History

Historical Context

Manchester City’s 2008 takeover by Abu Dhabi United Group—led by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan—marked the start of a sovereign-wealth-driven expansion that birthed City Football Group, now 81% owned by the same Abu Dhabi entity. By 2025 the group announced a partnership with UAE Pro League side Al Jazira, illustrating how the 2008 deal set a template for state-backed sports ventures worldwide.

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PIF Ends LIV

PIF announced it will cease funding LIV Golf after the 2026 season.
The fund had invested over $5 billion in LIV Golf, including $1 billion for player contracts, and sold a 70 % stake in Al Hilal for €374 million.
Officials said the cut reflects current macro dynamics and the Middle-East war, prompting a strategy shift.
The fund cancelled the $3 million Snooker Masters and ended the three-year WTA Finals run, indicating a wider sports slowdown.

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