Report: LIV Golf to lose funding from Saudi Arabia's PIF after 2026 season

After rumors swirled, LIV Golf is expected to lose its funding from the Saudi Arabian-backed Public Investment Fund after the 2026 season, the Wall Street Journal reported. The league’s future came into question after multiple reports in mid-April that the league was “on the verge” of losing its funding.

Speculation began to grow about LIV’s future April 15 ahead of an event in Mexico City. That day, the Financial Times reported the league was close to losing funding from the PIF, and high-level meetings took place to discuss next steps.

While those discussions continued, The Athletic reported LIV Golf staffers were also thinking about their own future. Some staffers were looking for a “life raft” if the league wound up shutting down after nearly four years of operations. In the meantime, LIV CEO Scott O’Neil sent an email to staffers and vowed the season would continue “exactly as planned.”

“I want to be crystal clear: Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle,” O’Neil wrote, via ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. “While the media landscape is often filled with speculation, our reality is defined by the work we do on the grass. We are heading into the heart of our 2026 schedule with the full energy of an organization that is bigger, louder, and more influential than ever before.

“The life of a startup movement is often defined by these moments of pressure. We signed up for this because we believe in disrupting the status quo. We have faced headwinds since the jump, and we’ve answered every time with resilience and grace. Now, we answer by doing what we do best: putting on the most compelling show in sports.”

More on LIV Golf

LIV launched in 2022 as a competitor to the PGA Tour with rule changes. Notably, were 54 holes rather than the 72 played on the PGA Tour. Golfers were also able to wear shorts. Music also played during competition, marking a stark shift in atmosphere.

However, tensions were obvious between the two sides. The PGA Tour instituted rules that stated any player who competed in LIV Golf events would have to serve a year-long suspension before making a return to Tour events.

Notable players such as Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson joined LIV at its onset. Jon Rahm and Cameron Young also came aboard, giving LIV two players who won majors shortly before leaving the Tour.

LIV Golf struggled to generate TV ratings following its launch. It agreed to a media rights deal with The CW and later had events air on FS1. Then, in December 2025, Koepka became the first player to leave the leageu before the end of his contract. He then began making his way back to the PGA Tour. When he did, the Tour announced the pathway to return.