Saudi Arabia is said to have no plans to pull the plug on the WWE, UFC or Zuffa Boxing – despite confirming it will soon stop funding LIV Golf.
The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia – which was financing the rebel golf league – recently announced it would only bankroll LIV until the end of the 2026 season.
LIV Golf was one of Saudi Arabia’s flagship ventures as it expanded its influence across the world of sports. The Kingdom has also invested heavily in fight sports and entertainment through TKO, the billion-dollar behemoth that owns the UFC, WWE and Zuffa Boxing.
Dana White spearheads the UFC and recently co-founded Zuffa Boxing with Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority. Together, they have signed some of the sport’s biggest names including Conor Benn and Jai Opetaia.
On Wednesday, TKO chief Mark Shapiro insisted Saudi support for their sporting projects remains ‘unwavering.’
According to the Sports Business Journal, Shapiro said: ‘Our partners in Saudi Arabia have confirmed that [a LIV Golf-like divestment] will not be the case with TKO. Their commitment to our properties in 2026 and beyond is unwavering.’
Dana White is both the president of the UFC and the man behind new venture, Zuffa Boxing
The UFC, WWE and Zuffa Boxing are all part of TKO, which is backed by Saudi Arabia
The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia will only bankroll LIV Golf until the end of 2026
Donald Trump with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund
Reports claimed the comments were made on an earnings call, with Shapiro also insisting that TKO is ‘firmly moving ahead with scheduled events in Saudi Arabia and the region.’
LIV Golf was plunged into an existential crisis last week, when the Saudi Public Investment Fund confirmed the league was ‘no longer consistent with the current phase of PIF’s strategy’.
The controversial circuit has cost the PIF an estimated $5billion in the past four years and the future of its top players – such as Bryson DeChambeau – is now mired in uncertainty.
As reported by the Daily Mail, LIV intends to fight on in search of fresh investment but covering the extortionate running costs of the league will prove brutally difficult and potentially impossible.
A PIF statement released to Daily Mail Sport read: ‘PIF has made the decision to fund LIV Golf only for the remainder of the 2026 season. 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.
‘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.’
