Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), the country’s sovereign wealth investment vehicle, has added to its existing relationship with global soccer's governing body, FIFA.
Through a deal unveiled today, PIF becomes a commercial partner of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to take place between June 11 and July 19 across Mexico, the US, and Canada.
PIF has been made an official tournament supporter of the event, in both North America and Asia, with the deal to be activated through two specific PIF companies: Savvy Games Group and Qiddiya City (the location Saudi Arabia envisions as its future hub of entertainment and sport).
This adds to the tie-up between PIF and FIFA last year, through which the Saudi fund sponsored the FIFA Club World Competition (which also took place in the US). It also comes with the Kingdom set to host the 2034 men's FIFA World Cup.
FIFA has said the deal will involve those brands working to "deliver unforgettable experiences and drive innovative fan engagement initiatives to connect with the football community."
Romy Gai, FIFA's chief business officer, has commented: "The partnership with PIF will help grow our sport across the globe through unlocking new opportunities, fostering innovation and engaging youth.”
Mohamed Al Sayyad, head of corporate brand at PIF, added: "This partnership builds on our existing FIFA relationship from last year’s FIFA Club World Cup ... to deliver a positive and lasting impact.
"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.”
Outside of its FIFA associations, PIF also has majority stakes in three top-tier Saudi soccer clubs (it recently sold a majority stake in a fourth, Al-Hilal), and financially backs the consortium in charge of England's Newcastle United.
Elsewhere in sport, it has backed the controversial LIV Golf series for the last five years, but has recently made clear its intentions to stop doing so at the end of the ongoing 2026 campaign.
