LIV Golf is entering its fifth season in 2026 and there are some notable changes coming including a format change from 54 to 72 holes and a field size increase from 54 to 57 players.
The league's relegation and promotion systems have also been bolstered to help the Official World Golf Ranking application, with two players joining from the International Series Rankings and three earning their cards via the Promotions event.
Notables to be relegated included Henrik Stenson, the now-retired Mito Pereira and Andy Ogletree, while multiple other players have left. The league has made some new signings, too, and rosters are now almost complete prior to the 2026 season beginning early next month in Riyadh.
So, what has been happening in the LIV Golf transfer window so far? Here's all you need to know...
Brooks Koepka's departure
Brooks Koepka left LIV Golf at the end of 2025 after four years following his big-money move from the PGA Tour in 2022.
Koepka was captain of Smash GC and decided to leave due to feeling "this is the right moment to spend more time at home."
His departure is a huge blow to the league as the former World No.1 is the first Major champion to leave LIV Golf and the first of the big debut-season signings.
His immediate return to the PGA Tour was confirmed earlier this month via the newly introduced Returning Member Program.
Talor Gooch has now taken over as Smash GC's captain.
Relegated players
Henrik Stenson (Majesticks), Andy Ogletree (HyFlyers), Mito Pereira (Torque), Yubin Jang (Iron Heads), Anthony Kim (Wildcard) and Frederik Kjettrup (Cleeks) were the six full-time LIV golfers to suffer relegation in 2025.
Kim managed to earn his spot back at the LIV Golf Promotions event to start the year, with the former three-time PGA Tour winner set to be one of five wildcards this season.
Released players
When the LIV Golf Promotions field was announced, we noticed two full-time players who had not been relegated were teeing it up, meaning they had been released by their teams.
They were Matt Jones (Ripper) and Ben Campbell (RangeGoats). Both men finished in the Open Zone, meaning they did not have to be re-signed by their teams - although Ben Campbell was then re-signed by RangeGoats before Jones missed out at the Promotions event to see his LIV career end.
News then emerged that Kevin Na had been released, having been on LIV Golf since 2022 as captain of the Iron Heads GC franchise. The team has now rebranded to Korean GC, with Jinichiro Kozuma also losing his spot in the league.
New players: International Series rankings
Two players earned their cards for 2026 via the International Series Rankings, which was up from the previous allocation of just one.
Topping the list was Scott Vincent, the Zimbabwean who had previously played for the Iron Heads before being relegated in 2024. He commendably earned his card straight back after winning the International Series Morocco and then finishing 2nd at the Jakarta International Championship.
Japan's Yosuke Asaji took the second spot after finishing T2nd at the International Series Philippines before winning the Singapore Open late in the season.
Both men will be wildcards this year.
New signings
LIV Golf has made a number of signings so far in the offseason, starting with three-time DP World Tour winner Victor Perez, who joined the Cleeks to replace Frederik Kjettrup, and Laurie Canter, who gave up a PGA Tour card to sign with Majesticks GC and replace Henrik Stenson.
Thomas Detry was then confirmed as 4Aces GC's new signing, replacing Harold Varner III who has not yet got a spot for the 2026 season.
DP World Tour player Elvis Smylie has also joined Cameron Smith's all-Australian Ripper GC to replace Matt Jones.
Byeong-hun An joined to captain Korean GC, replacing Na, along with MK Kim and Younghan Song who have replaced Kozuma and Jang.
New players - LIV Golf Promotions
LIV Golf Promotions took place on US soil for the first time in early January, where Anthony Kim earned his place back by taking the third and final spot.
He finished just behind Sweden's Bjorn Hellgren, who won the Asian Tour's Saudi Open in December.
Canada's Richard T Lee, a three-time Asian Tour winner, dominated the event to take the trophy and secure his place as another of LIV's rookies this year.
All three will be wildcard players alongside Vincent and Asaji.
Trades
The off-season has been quiet on the trades front so far, with only one player switching sides.
Abraham Ancer has left Sergio Garcia's Fireballs to move to Joaquin Niemann's Torque in replace of the relegated Mito Pereira, with Luis Masaveu taking his spot on the all-Spanish side.
Masaveu joined LIV Golf in 2025 and played eight times before stepping back as a reserve when Josele Ballester took his place on Garcia's team.
Contract renewals
While Brooks Koepka left LIV Golf, a number of big names who have been with the league from the start signed on to renew their contracts.
Dustin Johnson has renewed his deal until 2029, while it was confirmed Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter both re-signed as co-captains of the Majesticks for the 2026 season.
Fireballs GC captain and 2017 Masters Champion Sergio Garcia has also signed a "multi-year" extension to his deal.
