4 Big Changes LIV Golf Aims To Make In 2026 (And 6 That Have Already Been Confirmed)

The fifth season of LIV Golf begins in a matter of weeks, and the big-money league continues to evolve.

However, the 2026 season promises more changes than we have seen in the past - and potentially some of the most significant.

At least one of the proposed changes would have huge implications for the chances of its players competing in Majors, while others would see LIV Golf further entrench itself in the ecosystem of men’s elite golf.

Regardless of whether the proposed changes are made, some significant alterations to LIV Golf have already been confirmed.

Here are four big changes LIV Golf aims to make in 2026, as well as six that are already in place.

World Ranking Points

Ever since LIV Golf began in 2022, arguably the biggest prize for the league has been attaining world ranking points.

That has proved far easier said than done, with its initial bid for world ranking points rejected late in 2023.

By March 2024, LIV Golf had reportedly abandoned attempts to secure world ranking points, but that all changed with the arrival of Scott O'Neil as CEO, with a new application submitted in June 2025.

At a media preview week ahead of the new season, and reported by Sports Illustrated, O’Neil gave an update on the progress of the application and offered an upbeat assessment, saying: “The intention is to get this done before the season starts. That's the intention.”

If LIV Golf does succeed in its application, it will have huge implications, not just for its players but throughout men’s golf.

For existing players, the ability to earn world ranking points regularly would open up far greater chances of qualifying for the Majors, while it would surely also make the prospect of joining the league considerably more attractive for those currently on the fence.

Expanded Lock And Drop Zones

Throughout the season, players compete in the Individual Championship. Jon Rahm has finished top of the pile for the last two seasons, but it’s not just at the summit where careers can be defined.

There is also a Lock Zone, where everyone finishing in the top 24 guarantees their LIV Golf future. At the wrong end of the standings is the Drop Zone, for those finishing 49th in below, leading to relegation from the league.

That will be tweaked in 2026 as the two zones are reportedly being expanded, with O’Neil confirming it is being proposed in a bid to secure world ranking points.

He said: “You’ll see an expanded Lock Zone, an expanded Drop Zone this year, which as we’re working towards world ranking points, we think there’s some things, some shifts you’ll see in '26 that I think help our case and continue to give us more hope that that comes through.”

Increased Purses

One of the big draws of LIV Golf since its inception has been the huge prize money, with $20m shared among the competitors in each of the individual events and a further $5m shared among the top three teams.

Now, even more prize money appears to be on the way, with each individual event reportedly set for a purse of over $22m, with $10m going to the teams each week.

Billion-Dollar Franchises

At the media preview week, LIV Golf’s head of team business and operations, Katie O’Reilly, confirmed that another big shift could specifically affect the teams, with an ambitious plan to grow the value of each of the 13 franchises to $1bn.

She said: “Our goal is to build 13 billion-dollar franchises. That is our goal. Are we there yet? No. But right now we are building the foundation for that... right now we are focused on things like driving sponsorship revenue.”

Confirmed Changes

While each of the four changes mentioned have yet to be officially confirmed, some big alterations have already been rubberstamped. Here are the details.

Move To 72 Holes

For four years, one of the unique selling points of LIV Golf was its 54-hole, three-day format, but from 2026, it’s moving to a more traditional 72-hole, four-day affair.

O’Neal explained that will be good not just for the players, but for the brand as a whole, saying: “For us, that was relatively simple.

“We want to make sure that our players are best prepared for the Majors, that it’s not as much of a sprint, that our teams have a chance to recover after a tough day one.

“And with the overwhelming support we have seen in several of our markets, quite frankly, more content is better. More fans come in, more broadcast content, social hospitality.”

Increased Field Sizes

Along with the 54-hole format, 54 players had been teeing it up in each event, but that changes to 57 in 2026, with five wildcard players, rather than two, now guaranteed to play in each of the 13 regular events.

The two leading players from the International Series in 2025 and the three winners from the LIV Golf Promotions event earlier this month have added to LIV's expanded fields for 2026.

New Signings

There has been plenty of activity in the comings and goings of players during the off-season.

The likes of Brooks Koepka, Henrik Stenson, Kevin Na, Matt Jones and Jinichiro Kozuma have moved on, while there has been no shortage of new signings and players who have earned LIV Golf contracts.

Victor Perez, Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Elvis Smylie and Byeong Hun An have all been persuaded to join LIV Golf.

Meanwhile, Scott Vincent and Yosuke Asaji earned their places via the Asian Tour’s International Series, with Richard T. Lee and Bjorn Hellgren coming in via the LIV Golf Promotions event.

The third player to secure his LIV Golf card through the Promotions event was Anthony Kim, who resumes his career after being relegated at the end of last season.

Team Rebrand

While the number of teams competing will remain at 13, one of them has been given a rebrand, with Na’s old team Iron Heads GC becoming Korean Golf Club, and Byeong Hun An taking Na's place.

The new logo features a white tiger, which is a revered figure in Korean folklore and history, and a Rose Of Sharon - the national flower of South Korea that represents the country's "resilient spirit and enduring beauty."

TV Deals

Two big TV deals have been announced in the off-season, with a “multi-year" deal with UK and Ireland broadcaster TNT Sports confirmed in January, with LIV Golf having been shown on free-to-air channel ITV in the UK in 2025.

Hot on the heels of that deal, LIV Golf announced an agreement with Sky Sport in Germany to show events in 2026.

New Tournaments

Several new tournaments being introduced across golf in 2026, and two of them are on the LIV Golf League, with its first visit to South Africa in March at Steyn City and a visit to Louisiana’s Bayou Oaks at City Park between June 25th and 28th.