Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) was on Thursday unveiled as an official tournament supporter for the 2026 FIFA World Cup across North America and Asia, deepening the kingdom’s growing footprint in international football ahead of hosting the 2034 edition of the tournament.
The 2026 World Cup, scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19, will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. It will also mark the first time the competition will feature 48 national teams, expanding the scale and commercial reach of football’s biggest global event.
According to FIFA and PIF, the partnership will support a range of international initiatives, including grassroots football programmes, youth and women’s football development, educational projects, and efforts aimed at improving infrastructure and technical expertise within the sport.
Financial terms of the agreement, along with specific activation plans, were not disclosed.
The latest deal strengthens an already expanding relationship between FIFA and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, following PIF’s involvement with the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. It also reinforces Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy of positioning itself at the centre of global sport before the kingdom stages the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Mohamed AlSayyad, Head of Corporate Brand at PIF, said the fund remained committed to widening football’s global reach and creating opportunities throughout the sport’s ecosystem.
“PIF continues to accelerate the growth of football globally by expanding access to the game and creating opportunities that benefit players, fans and the wider football ecosystem,” he said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia has invested heavily across several sporting sectors in recent years as part of its broader economic diversification agenda. PIF alone has channelled billions of dollars into sport, including more than $5 billion into LIV Golf since the breakaway circuit launched in 2022.
Last month, however, PIF announced plans to reduce funding for LIV Golf at the end of the 2026 season, a development that has reportedly left the tour searching for alternative financial backers.
The sovereign wealth fund, chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, maintains investments across football, golf, Formula One, boxing and other sports properties. Critics continue to accuse the kingdom of using major sporting investments to improve its global image despite persistent scrutiny over its human rights record, an allegation Saudi authorities have repeatedly rejected.
Even as it scales back funding in some areas, PIF stated that it remains committed to deploying capital internationally in line with its long-term investment strategy, including existing and future investments in sport, which it described as a priority sector.