The new LIV Golf League season kicks off on February 4 with new players and updated rules. Teams and all changes at a glance.
The LIV Golf League is launching the 2026 season with an expanded competition format featuring more rounds, a new points system, and increased prize money. The field includes 57 players: 52 fixed team players plus five wildcard players competing only in the individual rankings. Over 13 teams, each with four professionals complemented by wildcard players, a total of 14 events will feature both team and individual contests.
More Holes, More Prize Money, and More Points
This season, all tournaments will be played over four days from Thursday to Sunday, covering 72 holes. The popular shotgun start across all 18 holes remains, as does the absence of a cut, allowing every player to compete until the final putt. The individual event winner is the player with the lowest total score after 72 holes, while every round counts fully towards the team score. The team with the lowest aggregate score claims the event’s team title.
New Points System: Every Point Counts in the Prize Money Battle
Starting in 2026, LIV Golf introduces a comprehensive points system awarding 1,000 individual points per event, with 200 points for the winner. Unlike the previous all-or-nothing system, all placements now earn points. The team format also changes dramatically: instead of only the top eight teams earning points, every team receives rewards. The winning team gets 30 points, second place 15, and even the last-placed team earns two points, ensuring competitiveness until the end. Prize money doubles weekly from five to ten million dollars per team, distributed also according to team placement. Additionally, 2.3 million euros weekly go to the best individual players on podium teams, with 470 million euros total prize money available this season.
Season Finale and Teams Overview
The season concludes with the 14th event, the Team Championship, dedicated solely to the team title. The format involves match play in the quarter- and semi-finals with two singles and one foursome per team. The final Sunday uses stroke play, with all four team players’ scores counting to decide the season’s team champion.
Notably, many teams emphasize national identity, reflecting cultural backgrounds. The former Iron Heads GC rebrands as Korean Golf Club highlighting Korean culture; Southern Guard GC focuses on South African identity. Other teams include an all-Australian Ripper GC, English Majesticks GC, and Spanish Fireballs GC. Twelve personnel changes occur this season, including additions, departures, and new wildcard players.
Key team line-ups include: Cleeks Golf Club with Martin Kaymer and Victor Perez; 4 Aces GC featuring Dustin Johnson but losing Patrick Reed back to the PGA Tour; Crushers GC with Bryson DeChambeau and Paul Casey; Fireballs GC led by Sergio Garcia; HyFlyers GC including Phil Mickelson and newcomer Michael La Sasso; Korean Golf Club with new players Ben An and Minkyu Kim; Legion XIII led by Jon Rahm; Majesticks GC with Lee Westwood; RangeGoats GC with Bubba Watson; Ripper GC newly adding Elvis Smylie;