The new LIV Golf League season kicks off on February 4 with fresh players and updated rules. A complete overview of teams and changes.
The LIV Golf League starts its 2026 season on February 4 with several changes and new faces. Besides format adjustments, prize money and point systems have also been updated.
More Holes, Increased Prize Money, and Expanded Points System
The LIV Golf League launches 2026 with an expanded competition concept featuring more rounds, a broadened points system, and increased prize money. The field includes 57 players: 52 permanent team players plus five wildcard entrants competing solely in the individual rankings. Across 14 events, both team and individual competitions will be held.
All Four Days Without Cut
New for the upcoming season, all tournaments will be played over four days from Thursday to Sunday, comprising 72 holes. The well-established shotgun start on all 18 holes returns along with the absence of a cut: every player remains in the tournament through the final putt.
The individual event winner is the player with the lowest total score after 72 holes. Simultaneously, every single round by each player counts fully toward the team score. The team with the lowest total score card wins the team title for the event.
New Points System: Every Point Counts in the Prize Fight
Beginning in 2026, LIV Golf introduces a comprehensive points system awarding a total of 1,000 individual points per event, with the winner receiving 200 points. Crucially, every placement earns points, replacing the previous all-or-nothing approach.
There is also a paradigm shift in the team rankings. Previously, only the top eight teams earned points. Now, all teams receive points: the winner gets 30 points, second place 15, and even the last-placed team earns two points, keeping every team competitive until the end.
The economic scale also grows significantly: weekly team prize money doubles from five to ten million dollars. Additionally, from 2026, every team is awarded prize money based on placement, not just the best performers. A new individual prize money model distributes 2.3 million euros weekly among the top individual players of podium teams. Overall, 470 million euros in prize money are available this season.
After 13 regular events, the individual champion is determined by accumulated points. More than a title, each placement affects prize money, contract status, and league future categorized as follows:
Lock Zone (Places 1-34) guarantees a contract offer for the next season.
Open Zone (Places 35-46) allows further league participation but without a guaranteed contract.
Drop Zone (Places 47-57) requires players to qualify for a league spot through relegation.
Team Championship as the Grand Finale of the LIV Golf Tour
The season concludes with the 14th event, the Team Championship, focused solely on the team title. Initially, the quarterfinals and semifinals are match play: each team competes in two singles matches (1-on-