What next for LIV Golf and Saudi investment in sport?

The launch of LIV Golf in 2022, backed by Saudi Arabia's powerful Public Investment Fund (PIF), sent shockwaves through the world of sport. Many of golf's biggest names, such as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson, signed up to LIV, and were rewarded with hugely lucrative prize money - while others, including Rory McIlroy, fiercely criticised the new competition.

However, LIV's big spending may be set to come to an abrupt halt. The PIF announced it would withdraw its funding at the end of the 2026 season, stating: "The substantial investment required by LIV Golf over a longer term is no longer consistent with the current phase of PIF’s investment strategy." The news has left LIV facing an uncertain future - while also leading to speculation about whether Saudi investment in sports such as boxing and football could also fall away.

Iain Carter, the BBC's golf correspondent, tells Ade Adedoyin why PIF's decision to withdraw will have a big impact on what happens next in the sport.

Simon Chadwick is a professor of Afro-Eurasian sport and co-editor of GeoSport - a newsletter that looks at sport from a geopolitical angle. He explains why the region got involved in sport and why it remains committed to sports such as football and Formula 1.

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