The 2026 LIV Golf season arrives not merely as another year on the calendar, but as a decisive moment for the breakaway league — a season defined as much by strategic reinvention as by the turbulence that preceded its opening tee shot.
This year, LIV has undergone its most significant competitive overhaul since its inception, highlighted by the move to 72-hole events, an expanded 57‑player field and a dramatically revised relegation and points structure.
These shifts are intended to strengthen the league’s credibility, inject clarity into its season‑long competition and respond to long-standing criticism about format legitimacy.
A NEW IDENTITY: 72 HOLES, BIGGER FIELDS, AND HIGHER STAKES
LIV’s decision to abandon its 54-hole origin story marks a symbolic break from the format that once defined its rebellion. For 2026, every regular event will now be played across four rounds, aligning LIV with traditional professional golf standards —and positioning the league more favourably for OWGR recognition, a status it still hopes to secure despite continued delays from the ranking body.
CHAOS AND CONSEQUENCE: PLAYER DEPARTURES AND PATHWAYS
Even as LIV reshapes itself competitively, the offseason exposed its fragility. Major champions Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed departed, returning to the PGA Tour and leaving LIV without two of its headline figures. These exits, paired with a quieter recruitment cycle — where Belgium’s Thomas Detry was the most notable signing —underscore the league’s ongoing struggle to attract fresh star power.
A GLOBAL FOOTPRINT
LIV’s 2026 schedule, spanning 14 global events, is a mix of continuity and bold reinvention.
The season opens under the lights at LIV Golf Riyadh from Feb 4-7, and then fans trace a globe-crossing itinerary from Adelaide to Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico City, Washington DC, Andalucia, Louisiana, the UK, New Jersey, Indianapolis and finally Michigan.
Crucially, the league introduces two new markets, The Club at Steyn City in South Africa and New Orleans' Bayou Oaks at City Park.
TEAMS, PLAYERS AND FORMAT
Starting this year, the league will feature 57 players, including 13 teams and five wild card players. These wild cards are awarded through a combination of performance on the International Series (top 2) and LIV Golf Promotions (top 3), further strengthening competitive access and global representation.
The top 10 finishers, including ties, will earn full exemption into the 2026 International Series, the set of elevated events sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
The move further enhances the pathways into LIV Golf from 2025 to 2026, with an increase in exemptions from one to two players through The International Series and an increase from one to three players through LIV Golf Promotions.
The five qualifying players will compete independently as Wild Cards in 2026 with guaranteed spots in the League’s 13 regular season events.
BROADCAST DETAILS
You can watch all the LIV Golf action live on SuperSport Golf