WTGL Launches in November: All Dates and the New Format

The new Women’s Team Golf League (WTGL) will kick off its inaugural season on November 8, 2026. Five teams, with a total of 25 players, will compete against each other at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens. The schedule has been set—and at the first Media Day, it became clear that the WTGL aims to offer more than just shortened golf matches in an indoor arena.

Microphones, a shot clock, real-time data, and the strategic game element “The Hammer” are designed to create pace and excitement. At the same time, the players want to showcase their personalities more than in traditional tournament golf. Trash talk, spontaneous reactions, and audible team communication are explicitly part of the concept.

WTGL 2026 at a Glance

The full rosters of the five founding teams have already been announced. The field of participants includes Lydia Ko, Lexi Thompson, Brooke Henderson, and Michelle Wie West, among others.

Here you’ll find all the teams and players for the 2026 WTGL.

Media Day: The WTGL Aims to Show More Personality

Just how unconventional the new league is became clear during the first Media Day at the SoFi Center. Lexi Thompson and Albane Valenzuela played a virtual hole there, surrounded by a Swedish landscape featuring a warship and snow-capped mountains. The flag was positioned about 188 yards away, and the hole was designed by Annika Sörenstam.

The scene was a fitting preview of a league that combines classic golf imagery with technology and entertainment. Play takes place on a large simulator screen before the players move to a physical, rotating green. Spectators sit very close to the action and are meant to witness not only the shots but also the players’ decisions and reactions.

“The players will show more personality because it feels more natural. On the Tour, you can sometimes feel restricted—as if you have to fit into a certain mold. Here, you can just be yourself. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Yana Wilson at Media Day.

Lexi Thompson also sees the WTGL as a welcome addition to traditional tour play. “It’s something completely different from our usual tournaments and our normal rounds. I think that’s exactly what golf needs: the chance to show our personalities and see how we interact with each other—not just the highly focused rounds we play week after week,” explained the Motor City Golf Club player during Media Day.

Microphones are designed to make conversations and emotions audible

An important element of the WTGL is the microphones, which give the players direct access to the audience during matches. Conversations about strategy, spontaneous comments, and team coordination are meant to become part of the broadcast. “The fact that we’re equipped with microphones is great for the fans. It also brings some trash talk into the mix. It’ll be exciting for the fans to see us having fun and making golf more entertaining,” said Nataliya Guseva at Media Day.

Megan Khang also expects a much more relaxed atmosphere than at typical tournaments. “I expect it to get loud. I expect things to be a little livelier. I expect it to be fun. That’s totally fine. It’ll be a nice change of pace from traditional golf,” said the Boston Common Golf player during Media Day.

From the players’ perspective, the fact that a strong word might slip out now and then is simply part of the competitive situation. Danielle Kang emphasized that the emotions aren’t staged: “We don’t swear just for the sake of swearing. It’s more of a spontaneous reaction—something like, ‘What the …?’ It just slips out. I don’t think anyone here is trying to swear on purpose.”

Shot Clock Adds Extra Pressure

In addition to bringing the media closer to the players, the game itself is also set to become faster and more dynamic. A shot clock puts time pressure on the teams as they make their decisions. Michelle Wie West, who is competing for the Los Angeles Golf Club, described during Media Day how unfamiliar this additional auditory and visual reminder can be.

“I usually play very fast and don’t even think about the clock. But when the heartbeat sound goes off, it throws me off my rhythm for a moment,” Wie West said at Media Day.

The WTGL concept also includes real-time data and the game element “The Hammer.” This allows the value of a hole to be increased. Teams can use The Hammer offensively to extend a lead or during a difficult stretch to turn the tide of a match.

The 2026 WTGL Schedule

The regular season consists of ten matches. Each of the five teams will face every other team once. Official game times are listed in Eastern Time. In November and December, Central Europe is six hours ahead of the U.S. East Coast.

The channels listed are the official U.S. broadcast partners according to available WTGL information. Details regarding a broadcast or livestream in Europe are not yet available.

The Opening Match: Los Angeles vs. New York

The first match of the WTGL will take place on Sunday, November 8, at 3:00 p.m. local time. In Central Europe, the match begins at 9:00 p.m. The Los Angeles Golf Club will face off against the New York Golf Club, with the match broadcast in the U.S. on ESPN.

With Michelle Wie West and Lydia Ko, two particularly well-known faces in women’s golf will face off. Rose Zhang, Danielle Kang, Alison Lee, and other players with international experience are also among the announced rosters. At the same time, the opening match provides a stage for younger players such as Kiara Romero and Yana Wilson.

Thus, the WTGL is kicking off the season with a mix of big names, athletic experience, and up-and-coming talent. At the same time, this will be the first opportunity to see how the players perform in the new team-based and indoor setting.

ABC Double-Header on November 29

November 29 is a special date on the WTGL calendar. This Sunday, two matches will be broadcast back-to-back on ABC.

At 1 p.m. Eastern Time, Boston Common Golf will face off against the New York Golf Club. At 3:30 p.m., the matchup between Motor City Golf Club and Atlanta Drive GC will follow. This offers viewers a full afternoon of WTGL team golf.

Another interesting aspect from a sports perspective is the shift between teammates and opponents. Several players who competed together for Europe or the U.S. in the Solheim Cup will face off on opposite sides in the WTGL.

Regular Season Finale on December 15

The regular season concludes on December 15 with the match between the Los Angeles Golf Club and Boston Common Golf. This match could be decisive for playoff qualification, as the top four teams after ten games advance to the knockout round.

The WTGL awards two points for a regular-time victory. A loss in overtime earns one point, while a team receives no points for a regular-time loss. As a result, even close matches and decisions made in overtime can impact the standings.

How the WTGL Playoffs and Finals Work

The top four teams from the regular season advance to the semifinals. The first semifinal is scheduled for December 20 on ESPN2, with the second following on December 21 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on ION. The matchups will not be determined until the regular season concludes.

The first WTGL champion will then be determined in a best-of-three series. The first final match will take place on December 22 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN2. The second game will follow on December 23 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. If no team has won two games by that time, a decisive third game will be played immediately at 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

WTGL Combines Elite Sports and Entertainment

The WTGL kicks off with an international field and a schedule that has the five teams facing off regularly over the course of a few weeks. The focus is squarely on the sporting competition. At the same time, the league aims to showcase a side of women’s golf that is often less visible in traditional tournaments: communication, team chemistry, and spontaneous emotions.

The first Media Day indicated that the players are eager to embrace this new stage. The WTGL is set to be loud, fast-paced, and personal—featuring well-known names, young talents, and a format that reimagines golf in a compact indoor setting.

The first season begins on November 8 at the SoFi Center. Then we’ll see how the WTGL puts its blend of team strategy, technology, and direct access to the players into practice during competition.