LIV Golf is betting its future on a bigger field. In a high-stakes push to stay relevant and credible, the Saudi-backed league is expanding its roster for the 2026 season, creating more tour spots than ever before as it continues reshaping its breakaway model.

Beginning in February, LIV Golf’s 2026 regular-season field will expand to 57 players, comprising 13 four-man teams and five Wild Card entrants. Those Wild Card spots will be filled through qualifying pathways, including LIV Golf Promotions, which will award three full-season places.

Announcing the latest changes, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil struck an optimistic tone. He said, “LIV Golf is committed to moving the sport forward by expanding opportunity and access. We are opening pathways—creating more chances for top talent to compete in the world’s golf league. Adding another qualifying spot strengthens our field and adds excitement to a season built on opportunity, competition, and growth.” For O’Neil and his leadership group, these changes need to deliver results quickly. That urgency is only heightened following Brooks Koepka’s exit and continued uncertainty surrounding Bryson DeChambeau’s future with the league.

As for the competitive structure, the expanded field will allow a total of 19 groups of three in the shotgun style. Scheduled for January 8–11, 2026, LIV Golf Promotions will serve as the first test of the expanded format, awarding the top three finishers full-season Wild Card spots in the 2026 league.

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OWGR delays LIV Golf recognition despite format change and ongoing uncertainty

Since launching in 2022, LIV Golf has operated under a 54-hole tournament format. However, at the end of the season in 2025, LIV Golf, under the leadership of Scott O’Neil, changed its tournament format from 54 holes to the traditional 72 holes. That shift fueled expectations that LIV golfers could finally gain recognition from the Official World Golf Ranking. However, OWGR does not appear ready to deliver good news for the Saudi-backed league.

In its latest update, OWGR officials addressed the ongoing review of LIV Golf’s application for ranking recognition. OWGR said it still has no decision on LIV’s application, while also outlining how 54-hole events and curtailed tournaments are handled in ranking calculations.

With Brooks Koepka gone and Bryson DeChambeau’s future still uncertain, OWGR’s Chairperson, Trevor Immelman, too, failed to bring in an optimistic update for LIV. Immelman shared, “Since the end of June, the Governing Board has endeavoured to thoroughly evaluate the LIV Golf application…As such, discussions have been regular and remain ongoing. To be clear, progress has been made, but there is no decision to share at this time. We will continue to work closely with LIV Golf as it continues to evolve to ensure its application is handled with fairness, integrity, and consistency, as stated previously.” For now, LIV Golf remains in a holding pattern, with its future hinging on whether these structural changes can finally translate into broader legitimacy.