LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil has announced that a lead investor has “signed a term sheet approved by our board” that will support the league going forward beyond 2026.
In a press conference on the eve of the opening round of LIV Golf New York at Trump Bedminster, O’Neil claimed the deal would help the circuit enter a “new era”.
“This is a moment that we’re very happy about, that we’re thrilled to announce, that we’re proud to be a part of,” O’Neil said. “It’s certainly an investor of weight, and we’re all locked in on making it happen.”
A statement later released by LIV Golf read: “LIV Golf has an agreement in place with a lead investor, signed by the investor and approved by the Board, to anchor the transaction and play a key role in supporting the path forward for the League’s next era, driven by and for the players, We’re also seeing strong interest from more than a dozen additional parties to potentially serve as minority investors, creating a multi-partner model built for long-term stability and growth.
“Notably, our next chapter will make our players the majority equity holders in LIV Golf, a first for a major global sports league, and gives the League the foundation to keep growing the game worldwide. We anticipate finalizing terms in the coming weeks, with the goal of entering a transaction in September. In the meantime, our focus is on delivering a great week for fans and players at Bedminster and finishing the 2026 season strong.”
The identity of the investor has yet to be disclosed but news of the deal indicates that the league has been given a lifeline in its fight for survival and potential long-term future.
LIV suffered a major setback in April this year when Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) confirmed it will pull funding at the end of the 2026 season. PIF has reportedly ploughed an estimated $5bn into the league since its inception in October 2021 including $247m this year.
Since then, O’Neil has been seeking investment of around $250m-350m to help the league survive into 2027 and keep some of its big name stars such as Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm.
The new format of the league, nicknamed LIV 2.0, is set to feature 10 events (5 international, 5 in the U.S) and players will become major equity holders in the league.