TGL kicks off the 2027 season on December 27—once again against the NFL, and still on ESPN

TGL is deliberately scheduling its season opener during the busiest time of the U.S. sports calendar: The Indoor Golf League will kick off its third season on Sunday, December 27, 2026, marking the second consecutive year it will go head-to-head with the NFL. At the same time, the league is securing its media future—ESPN remains its exclusive U.S. media partner. Both sides announced a multi-year extension on October 1, without specifying the term or financial terms. This is evident from the joint statement as well as consistent reporting by various media outlets.

TGL Schedule: Starts December 27, runs through March

The opening game of the third season—designated as the 2027 season—will take place on December 27 at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The league will announce the time and matchup at a later date, along with the full schedule, including commentary and production details. Both are expected to be released before the start of the season.

The date is no coincidence. The TGL is once again deliberately taking on the NFL, the heavyweight of U.S. television. Last year showed that this strategy can pay off: According to Golfweek, the season opener against the NFL drew 30 percent more viewers than the season average for the inaugural season. For ESPN, the league subsequently fills a valuable programming slot from January through March—a quieter period following the end of the NFL season and before the start of MLB, during which two-hour live matches ensure predictable ratings.

Rights Extension: ESPN Remains the U.S. Home of the TGL

ESPN has covered the TGL since its debut and will remain the national rights partner under the new agreement. The matches will continue to air on ESPN and ABC. Rosalyn Durant, ESPN’s Executive Vice President of Programming and Acquisitions, described the partnership in the announcement as follows: “The TGL has brought something truly new to golf—top PGA Tour players competing against each other in a fast-paced, primetime-friendly team format that brings fans closer to the action than ever before.” “We will continue to showcase the sport’s best players and build on the momentum of our first two seasons together.”

On behalf of the league, Rufus Hack, President of Golf at TMRW Sports, commented: “ESPN has been the ultimate partner in building the TGL, combining unparalleled promotion, reach, and sports presentation.” The extension reflects “our shared ambition to take the TGL to a new level.”

The format is operated by TMRW Sports, founded by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and sports executive Mike McCarley. Under the official name TGL presented by SoFi, the league reaches 152 territories worldwide, according to TMRW Sports, and has been honored with awards including the Alpha Award from the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference and an award from SportsBusiness Journal.

In Europe, Sky Sports has held the broadcast rights to the TGL to date and will also air the indoor league’s third season.

Ratings: Second TGL Season Shows Growth

The numbers underscore the shared optimism. According to Golfweek, the second season drew a total of 21.782 million viewers—an increase of 8 percent from the 20.215 million in the inaugural season. Viewership for the playoffs rose from an average of 434,000 to 618,000, a 42 percent increase. The most-watched broadcast of the season was the final on March 24, in which the Los Angeles Golf Club defeated Tiger Woods’ Jupiter Links Golf Club 9–2: An average of 989,000 people watched the game on ESPN.

One factor carries particular weight for the partners: More than 30 percent of the TGL audience does not otherwise follow professional golf on a regular basis. This figure comes from the ESPN press release and TGL officials. It is precisely this group—often younger fans—that the league aims to further expand.

Seventh TGL Team: Motor City Golf Club with Brooks Koepka

In terms of competition, the field is expanding to seven teams. New to the league is the Motor City Golf Club, backed by the investment group Middle West Partners—comprising Michael Hamp, Peter Hamp, and Kevin Kelleher. The franchise’s first and most prominent player is five-time major champion Brooks Koepka.

This marks Koepka’s first-ever appearance in the league. He was ineligible to play during the first two seasons due to his contract with LIV Golf; in January, he left LIV and returned to the PGA Tour. A native of Palm Beach County, he lives in Jupiter, just a few minutes from the arena. His five major titles include the 2017 and 2018 U.S. Opens and the 2018, 2019, and 2023 PGA Championships; he also has nine PGA Tour victories.

Find out here who will be Brooks Koepka’s first teammate at the Motor City Golf Club.

“Brooks has built his career on playing his best when the stakes are highest,” said investor Michael Hamp, according to Golf Post. “We couldn’t have asked for a stronger foundation on which to build our first roster.” Koepka himself explained: “I’ve been to TGL matches as a spectator, and they bring something completely new to the game. I’m looking forward to competing with my teammates and bringing a championship to Detroit.”

Rounding out the field are defending champion Los Angeles Golf Club, Atlanta Drive GC, Boston Common Golf, Jupiter Links Golf Club, New York Golf Club, and The Bay Golf Club. It remains to be seen who will play for which team: According to Golf Digest, several contracts from the first two years spanned two seasons, so changes to the rosters are possible.

Before the Start: The New Women’s League, the WTGL

Even before the TGL, the new women’s league, the WTGL, featuring LPGA players, will kick off. It will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC, and ION, beginning on November 8 and ending on December 22—marking the media kickoff to a season that transitions seamlessly into the TGL’s start on December 27.

Read more here about the launch and schedule of the WTGL.