Saudi Arabia has officially withdrawn its aspirations to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup, as confirmed by the country's sports minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal. This decision is attributed to a new financial strategy from the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is now focusing on projects that promise immediate returns. Despite initial interest in a joint bid with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, no formal expression of interest has been submitted to World Rugby. The bidding process for the tournament began last October, with countries like Argentina, Japan, and Spain already expressing interest. Although the deadline for formal bids is set for October 2026, Saudi Arabia is not expected to revisit its decision. The PIF is also withdrawing funding from the LIV Golf tour, prioritizing domestic projects such as infrastructure for the 2034 FIFA World Cup and a Formula One track near Riyadh. Economic uncertainties, particularly due to the ongoing war in Iran, are influencing PIF's spending, although the decision to withdraw from the Rugby World Cup bid was made prior to the conflict.