LIV Golf Postpones Louisiana Tournament Citing World Cup, Heat Concerns
State officials say $3.2M paid to Saudi-backed circuit; $1.2M in incentives expected to be returned
Quick Look
- LIV Golf has postponed its June tournament in New Orleans, citing concerns about the FIFA World Cup's impact on attendances and viewership, along with high temperatures and course conditions.
- Louisiana had already paid $3.2 million under its contract, with $2 million invested in Bayou Oaks course upgrades.
- The state expects the remaining $1.2 million in incentive funds to be returned, while LIV Golf explores hosting the event in autumn.
AI-generated summary
The LIV Golf event scheduled to be played in Louisiana in June has been postponed, state officials said on Tuesday. News of the postponement comes less than two weeks after LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil said the breakaway circuit's 2026 season would proceed as planned amid reports that the series was at risk of losing its funding. The announcement comes a day after sources with knowledge of LIV Golf operations said the event may be postponed due to concerns the FIFA World Cup could impact attendances and viewership, while issues such as high temperatures and course condition were also factors. Governor Jeff Landry and Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois said in a joint statement that the state had already paid $3.2m under its contract with LIV Golf, of which $2m has already been invested in upgrades for the Bayou Oaks at City Park course that was scheduled to host the event from 25-28 June. They also said the Saudi-funded circuit was expected to return the remaining $1.2m in state incentive funds. "We appreciate LIV's good-faith efforts and look forward to maintaining our partnership as we continue conversations around an event later this year," Landry and Bourgeois said. According to the statement, Bourgeois spoke with O'Neil last Friday and was informed the organisation was looking to postpone the New Orleans tournament to explore a potential event in autumn. In a separate statement, LIV Golf said it was a "strategic" decision to explore moving the event to later in the year. "This shift allows us to avoid the peak summer heat and the crowded global sports calendar while ensuring the course is in the championship condition our fans and players expect," said LIV Golf. "We are grateful for the continued partnership and flexibility of the state of Louisiana as we work together to deliver a world-class debut this fall. "Our team is focused on maintaining the strong momentum of the 2026 season and we look forward to sharing finalized dates in the near future."
