LIV Golf strikes ‘milestone’ deal with ITV to show free-to-air coverage in UK

LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed rebel tour, has secured a landmark rights deal with ITV Sport to show live free-to-air coverage in the UK.

The breakaway series had failed to land a major broadcast partner after forming in 2022, despite recruiting several top players from the PGA Tour, such as Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau.

But ITV Sport will show the 2025 season, starting with the second round of the season-opening event in Riyadh on Saturday.

Online platform ITV X will serve as its primary access point throughout the season, but selected events will also been shown on ITV 1 and ITV 4.

It is a breakthrough moment for LIV Golf in the UK, and comes as the PGA Tour said it is “closer to a deal” with its rival series following an intervention from US President Donald Trump.

All four of golf’s majors, including the Open Championship and the Masters, have been shown behind paid subscription channel Sky Sports for the past nine years, along with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

Director of ITV Sport Niall Sloane said: "This is an exciting time for LIV Golf as we look ahead to the innovative 2025 season. This partnership delivers free-to-air coverage for fans in the UK and we are delighted to welcome LIV Golf to ITV Sport."

“Our partnership with ITV represents a major milestone as we strive to bring LIV Golf to every corner of the world,” said Ron Wechsler, LIV Golf’s senior vice president of broadcast partnerships and programming strategy.

“With a premier sports broadcaster like ITV, we can ensure that more fans than ever will be able to access the excitement of the LIV Golf experience and connect with the world-class players, teams, and stories that make us a truly standalone global sports league."

A statement from the PGA Tour on Thursday confirmed that talks with LIV Golf, through Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, were at an advanced stage after calling on President Trump to help negotiations.

"We asked the President to get involved for the good of the game, the good of the country, and for all the countries involved,” a PGA Tour statement said.

"We are grateful that his leadership has brought us closer to a final deal, paving the way for reunification of men's professional golf."