UNC GM Michael Lombardi Eyes Saudi Investment for Football

As if this UNC program needed to find itself in any more controversy, it found a way. Despite the widespread attack on Bill Belichick, Michael Lombardi has played just as big a role in the downfall of this team.

In a purely unconventional move, North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi quietly traveled to Saudi Arabia in the weeks leading up to the 2025 season to explore fundraising opportunities.

The discussions of this trip raise what some call hope, while others argue controversy for the Tar Heels’ football agenda.

The visit, confirmed by university officials and first reported by WRAL, was arranged at the invitation of Saudi hosts and fully funded by those hosts, not by UNC’s athletic department.

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick speaking to the press before the Tar Heels' first practice of fall camp on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, Nirth Carolina Tar Heels on SI

What This Means

The trip was officially described as “exploratory” by Vice Chancellor for Communications Dean Stoyer, who explicitly declined to offer further specifics about who Lombardi met with or whether any agreements were made.

Lombardi, hired alongside head coach Bill Belichick in December 2024, carries a three-year, $4.5 million contract, making him one of the highest-paid GMs in college sports.

Dec 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels general manager Michael Lombardi during the Bill Belichick hiring announcement at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

In Chapel Hill, he’s tasked with overseeing the football roster, transfers, contracts, and development. But in Saudi Arabia, it seems his mission was to pitch the Tar Heels’ program vision to a more global platform.

While UNC has not disclosed whether any funding was offered or accepted, the timing and destination of Lombardi’s trip suggest he had eyes set on Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), a sovereign wealth entity already active in global sports ventures such as LIV Golf and Newcastle United. PIF has become a newer target for athletic investment, drawing attention, both good and bad, for its goals globally.

Dec 30, 2016; El Paso, TX, USA; A view of the North Carolina Tar Heels logo and helmet outside their locker room before facing the Stanford Cardinal at Sun Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-Imagn Images | Ivan Pierre Aguirre-Imagn Images

If UNC were to strike a funding deal with a PIF-linked entity, it would mark one of the most bold international partnerships in college football’s history.

An increase in capital could shift the balance of recruiting, facilities, and competitive trajectory, but this puts a lot at risk. Accepting money from a foreign sovereign fund invites scrutiny over institutional values, donor influence, and reputation–all crucial elements to what provides UNC its value.

Though the athletic department has not confirmed further details about the trip or who else was involved, the optics are rather suspect.

A public university quietly dispatching its GM abroad, seeking foreign funding for a top revenue-driving sport, tests boundaries of transparency and accountability. Adding to the snowball effect of what this egregious football season has been, this new information only fuels the poor narrative.

UNC Huddle; Oct. 4, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

For now, Lombardi’s Saudi trip remains in the realm of possibility, not confirmation… yet. But in college football’s cutthroat financial race, especially with looming NIL possibilities, UNC has made one thing clear in its willingness to chase resources wherever they might be found–for better or for worse.

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