Why the era of Saudi “sportswashing” could be over
This Is Why
Sky News
4.0 • 552 Ratings
🗓️ 16 April 2026
⏱️ 17 minutes
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Summary
A multi-billion-dollar Saudi-backed golf tour is reportedly close to collapse – so could this spell an end to the Gulf state’s interest in sport?
The controversial LIV Golf Tour is just one strand of the Saudis’ sporting portfolio.
Footballing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo plays there, while the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) also owns English Premier League team, Newcastle United.
But the PIF - which has plunged $5b into the LIV project - has a new five-year economic strategy that includes no mention of sport. Having been accused of using sport as a political tool to legitimise the Saudi regime, what led to this apparent change of strategy?
Sky News’ sports correspondent Rob Harris joins Niall to discuss what it means for the future of Saudi sport.
Have you got a question for Niall? Email the show: why@sky.uk
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Sky News, the full story first. |
| 0:10.5 | They tried to improve their image by spending on sport. |
| 0:16.8 | Now, Saudi Arabia looks like it's having a rethink, and this is why. |
| 0:33.5 | Hi, everyone, Neil here, and today we've got some, well, potentially massive news in the world of sport, |
| 0:37.7 | and it's all to do with the Live Golf Tour. Ever heard of that? Well, it started back in 2022. |
| 0:40.6 | In essence, it was a rival to the long-established PGA tour, |
| 0:44.7 | backed by an absolute pile of cash coming from oil-rich Saudi Arabia. |
| 0:49.2 | From the outset, it was hugely controversial, |
| 0:52.0 | an attempt to improve Saudi Arabia's image or sports washing as it's become known. |
| 0:57.1 | I've come to terms with it. |
| 0:58.6 | It's very hard to keep up with people that have more money than anyone else. |
| 1:05.6 | And again, if they want to put that money into the game of golf, then why don't we partner with them and make |
| 1:11.4 | sure that it's done in the right way? And it didn't stop with golf. Saudi cash has been thrown |
| 1:16.3 | at Formula One, boxing, even the beautiful game of football. Manchester United legend, Cristiano |
| 1:22.3 | Ronaldo, was persuaded to move to the little-known Saudi club Al-Nasasser in a deal so far worth north of half a billion. |
| 1:30.3 | I play in the most important clubs in Europe, |
| 1:33.7 | and for me now is the new challenge. |
| 1:36.7 | But now there are reports that the live tour might be on the verge of collapse |
| 1:40.3 | and that Saudi Arabia's investment in sport is soon coming to an end. |
| 1:45.0 | So what on earth's going on? |
| 1:46.6 | Our sports correspondent is Rob Harris. |
| 1:50.7 | Rob, to get this started, probably worth you reminding me, everyone else. |
... |
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