LIV Golf Could Be Shutting Down—Saudi Arabia May Slash League’s Funding, Report Says

Q: Why is Saudi Arabia considering cutting funding for LIV Golf?

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is reportedly evaluating its financial commitments, which may lead to reduced funding for LIV Golf.

Q: What impact would the funding cuts have on LIV Golf's future?

If funding is cut, LIV Golf could face significant operational challenges, potentially leading to its shutdown.

Q: Which players could be affected if LIV Golf shuts down?

Players who signed with LIV Golf for substantial advance payments could be impacted, as their contracts and financial agreements may become void.

Topline

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is considering slashing funding for the LIV Golf league, its premier competitor to the PGA Tour that lured big stars with millions in advance payments, according to a new report in the Financial Times—adding to rumors swirling that the league could soon shut down.

Reports and rumors circulated on Wednesday that the Saudi Public Investment Fund could soon pull funding from the PGA Tour competitor.

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Key Facts

A decision about LIV Golf’s future could be announced as soon as Thursday, sources told the FT—the same day the league is scheduled to kick off its next major tournament in Mexico City.

LIV Golf is a centerpiece for Saudi Arabia’s considerable investment in sports and entertainment in recent years, which also includes Formula 1 events and the FIFA World Cup in 2034, but the league has never been profitable—its U.K. branch lost a reported $590.1 million in 2024 alone, The Athletic reported last year.

Another report from U.K. newspaper The Telegraph said the organization’s executives were not on site at the Club de Golfo Chapultepec in Mexico City, and instead went to an “emergency summit” in New York—although the same report said players had not heard anything.

The Public Investment Fund is planning a new strategy to reprioritize its spending, the FT reported earlier on Wednesday.

Key Background

LIV Golf was founded as a rival to the PGA Tour in 2021, with considerable funding from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. At its height, LIV lured away huge names in the golf world with massive contracts, including Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm. However, several of the league’s biggest stars jumped ship over the last year back to the PGA, including Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed. President Donald Trump also became affiliated with the organization between his first and second terms in office, hosting events at his golf clubs in Miami and New Jersey in 2022.

Big Number

$1 billion. That’s how much LIV Golf has spent on guaranteed payouts to some of its biggest stars since it was founded, Forbes determined in 2024. Rahm, who joined the league in 2023 with a contract reported to be worth up to $300 million, was the world’s highest paid golfer in 2025.

What To Watch For

It’s unclear if the possible funding loss will impact the LIV Golf Mexico City event. The organization’s media center was closed on Wednesday, The Telegraph reported, although this was attributed to electrical problems. LIV Golf did not immediately return a request for comment from Forbes regarding the possible funding loss or the Mexico City event.