The new LIV Golf League season starts February 4 with new players and rules. Teams and all innovations at a glance.
The LIV Golf season kicks off on February 4 with several changes and new faces. In addition to format modifications, prize money and points systems have been adjusted.
More Holes, More Prize Money, and More Points
In 2026, the LIV Golf League launches with an expanded competition concept. More rounds, an enhanced points system, and increased prize money bring several changes for the new season. The field consists of 57 players, including 52 permanent team players and five wildcards. These are split across 13 teams, each with four pros plus the wildcards who only compete in individual rankings. A total of 14 events will be played, featuring both team and individual competitions.
New Points System: Every Point Counts in the Fight for Prize Money
New in the upcoming season: all tournaments will be played over four days, Thursday to Sunday, covering 72 holes. The proven shotgun start across all 18 holes remains, as does the absence of a cut. Every player stays in the tournament until the final putt.
The individual winner of an event is the player with the lowest total score after 72 holes. Simultaneously, every round by each player fully counts toward the team score. The team with the lowest cumulative scorecard wins the team title of the event.
From 2026, LIV Golf introduces a more comprehensive points system. A total of 1,000 individual points are awarded per event, with the winner earning 200 points. Crucially, every placement now earns points, replacing the previous all-or-nothing approach.
There is also a paradigm shift in team scoring. Whereas previously only the top 8 teams earned points, now all teams are rewarded: the winner receives 30 points, second place 15 points, and even the last-placed team gets 2 points. This keeps every team competitively relevant until the final day.
The financial dimension grows significantly: the weekly team prize money doubles from five to ten million dollars. From 2026, every team will receive prize money according to its ranking, no longer only the best. Additionally, a new individual prize money model awards 2.3 million euros weekly among the top individual players on podium teams. Overall, 470 million euros in prize money is up for grabs this season.
After 13 regular events, the individual champion is crowned based on accumulated points. But the stakes go beyond a title, as every place affects prize money, contract status, and league future through categorization into three zones.
Lock Zone (positions 1-34) guarantees a contract offer for the following season.
Open Zone (positions 35-46) allows continuation in the league without contract guarantee.
Drop Zone (positions 47-57) requires players to compete for their spot via relegation.
Team Championship as the Grand Finale of the LIV Golf Tour
The season concludes with the 14th event, the