The new LIV Golf League season kicks off on February 4 with new players and rules. An overview of teams and all changes.
The LIV Golf season will start on February 4 with some changes and new faces. Besides format changes, prize money and point systems have been adjusted.
More Holes, More Prize Money and More Points
The LIV Golf League is launching in 2026 with an expanded competition concept. More rounds, an extended points system, and increased prize money bring several changes for the new season. A total of 57 players, including 52 permanent team players and five wildcard players, make up the field. Distributed over 13 teams, each with four professionals complemented by wildcards who only compete in individual rankings. There will be 14 events in total, featuring both team and individual competitions.
Four Days Without a Cut
New for the upcoming season: All tournaments will be played over four days, from Thursday to Sunday, comprising 72 holes for the first time. The proven shotgun start from all 18 holes remains, as does the no-cut policy. 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. At the same time, every single round of each player fully counts towards the team ranking. The team with the lowest total scorecard wins the team event title.
New Points System: Every Point Counts in the Battle for Prize Money
From 2026, LIV Golf will implement a more comprehensive points system. A total of 1,000 individual points will be awarded per event, with the winner receiving 200 points. Crucially, every placement earns points, replacing the previous all-or-nothing system.
There is also a paradigm shift in the team ranking. Whereas previously only the top 8 teams collected points, now all teams are rewarded. The winner receives 30 points, the runner-up 15, and even the last-placed team still earns two points. This keeps every team competitively relevant until the last day.
The financial dimension is also significantly increasing: the weekly team prize money doubles from five to ten million dollars. Additionally, from 2026, each team will receive prize money based on their placement, no longer just the best teams. A new individual prize money model also distributes 2.3 million euros weekly among the top individual players of the podium teams. Overall, 470 million euros in prize money are up for grabs this season.
After 13 regular events, the individual champion is determined based on accumulated points. But it’s about more than just a title — every placement affects prize money, contract status, and future league membership, divided into three categories.
Lock Zone (places 1-34) guarantees a contract offer for the next season.
Open Zone (places 35-46) allows continued league membership but without contract guarantee.
Drop Zone (places 47-57) requires players to secure their league spot via relegation.