Business of Sport PIF backs Fifa Club World Cup in the US By Pramod Kumar June 6, 2025, 8:11 AM Reuters/Peter Cziborra Paris St Germain's Marquinhos lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Champions League on May 31, 2025 Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will be the official partner of the month-long Fifa Club World Cup 2025, which will take place in the US from June 14. The sovereign wealth fund has signed an agreement with football’s governing body, Fifa, to fuel growth and engagement in football, the $940 billion Saudi sovereign wealth fund said in a statement. No financial details of the deal were disclosed. In December 2024 the kingdom’s global football ambitions were rewarded when it was chosen to host the 2034 World Cup. The country has proposed 15 stadiums across five host cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Neom, Abha, and Al Khobar, of which eight will be built from scratch. The Fifa Club World Cup will feature 32 of the world’s top football clubs, bringing together champions from all six Fifa confederations. The 63-match tournament will conclude with the finals being played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13. Final whistle for Ronaldo in Riyadh: was it worth it? Saudi Arabia signs deal with TKO for boxing promotion Saudi-backed Newcastle United narrows losses to $14m Under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is developing sports to drive economic growth and football has been at the heart of this transformation. The country now has more than 300,000 boys and girls participating in school leagues, supported by 23 regional youth training centres and 19 national teams. PIF has signed in excess of 900 sports sponsorship deals, according to Play the Game, a publicly funded sports ethics institute in Denmark. In March PIF was considering funding a new stadium development for English Premier League side Newcastle United. Register now: It’s easy and free AGBI registered members can access even more of our unique analysis and perspective on business and economics in the Middle East. Why sign uP Exclusive weekly email from our editor-in-chief Personalised weekly emails for your preferred industry sectors Read and download our insight packed white papers Access to our mobile app Prioritised access to live events Register for free Already registered? Sign in I’ll register later Register now: It’s easy and free AGBI registered members can access even more of our unique analysis and perspective on business and economics in the Middle East. Why sign uP Exclusive weekly email from our editor-in-chief Personalised weekly emails for your preferred industry sectors Read and download our insight packed white papers Access to our mobile app Prioritised access to live events Register for free Already registered? Sign in I’ll register later