LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil has provided an update on the league’s future but refused to answer a question regarding whether the final four events on the 2026 calendar would take place.
In April, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) confirmed that it would be cutting its funding for LIV Golf at the end of the season. Since the announcement, there has been constant speculation over the short-term and long-term future of the breakaway tour and the players that participate.
In the aftermath, LIV revealed new board appointments to help the process of finding new “long-term financial partners to support its transition from a foundational launch phase to a diversified, multi-partner investment model.”
O’Neil is seeking around $250m-350m worth of financial backing.
The four events that remain before the conclusion of the 2026 season are currently scheduled to happen in the UK, New York, Indianapolis, and Michigan.
Speaking on the Halftime Report on CNBC, O’Neil said: “I’ve had five formal meetings so far, I’ve got 18 more this week and about the same next week.
“What’s been really interesting is how you slice this. Is it one partner, maybe a big private equity firm, coming in for the full $300m, or do you have 10 or 12 investors at $50m or $25m?”
The next event is scheduled to take place between 23-26 July and O’Neil emphasised the importance of sealing an agreement during the summer months.
“What we don’t have is a lot of time,” he added. “We’re urgently out there talking to those who are interested. We like the pool, but we have to get this done through the summer.”
The original calendar for 2026 included an event in New Orleans in late June but that was cancelled “to avoid the peak summer heat and the crowded global sports calendar while ensuring the course is in the championship condition.”
But when asked about the remaining events, O’Neil refused to guarantee that they would go ahead.
“What I can guarantee is a heck of a return if you come invest in this business,” he said. “We’re cutting the expense side dramatically, and the revenue momentum we’ve had – we’re already up $100m year-on-year – means we have really good business momentum,” he said.
“This is about getting costs under control, reimagining what the business could and should look like, and engaging players as partners, as true equity partners in this business.”