The new LIV Golf League season kicks off on February 4th with new players and rules. An overview of teams and all innovations.
The LIV Golf season starts on February 4th with several changes and new faces. Alongside format adjustments, prize money and point systems have also been updated.
More Holes, Higher Prize Money and More Points
The LIV Golf League launches in 2026 with an expanded competition concept. More rounds, an enhanced point system, and increased prize money bring various changes for the new season. The field consists of 57 players, including 52 fixed team players and five wildcards. They are divided into 13 teams, each featuring four pros plus the wildcards who compete solely in the individual rankings. There will be 14 events in total, featuring both team and individual competitions.
New Point System: Every Point Counts in the Fight for Prize Money
All tournaments will be played over four days from Thursday to Sunday for the first time in the upcoming season, comprising 72 holes. The proven shotgun start on all 18 holes remains, as well as the absence of a cut. Every player stays in the tournament until the last putt.
The individual event winner is the player with the lowest total score after 72 holes. Every single round of each player fully counts toward the team score. The team with the lowest total scorecard wins the team title for the event.
Starting in 2026, LIV Golf introduces a more comprehensive point system. Each event awards a total of 1,000 individual points, with the winner receiving 200 points. Importantly, every placement earns points, replacing the previous all-or-nothing system.
There is also a paradigm shift in the team rankings. Whereas previously only the top 8 teams earned points, now all teams are rewarded. The winner receives 30 points, second place 15, and even the last-placed team gets two points, keeping every team competitively relevant until the final day.
The economic dimension also grows significantly: weekly team prize money doubles from five to ten million dollars. Furthermore, starting 2026, all teams earn prize money according to their placement, not just the top performers. An additional individual prize money model awards 2.3 million euros weekly among the top individual players of podium teams. In total, 470 million euros in prize money are available this season.
After 13 regular events, the individual champion is determined by accumulated points. But the stakes go beyond a title; each placement affects prize money, contract status, and the player’s future in the league through a three-tier system:
Lock Zone (places 1-34) guarantees a contract offer for the following season.
Open Zone (places 35-46) allows continued league participation without a guaranteed contract.
Drop Zone (places 47-57) requires players to compete in relegation to secure their spot.
Team Championship: The Season’s Grand Finale
The season concludes with the 14th event, the Team Championship, which is