Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship and a new venue for the Amgen Irish Open are set to headline the 2026 DP World Tour global schedule, which has been officially announced. The upcoming season will feature at least 42 Race to Dubai tournaments across 25 countries, maintaining a structure of three distinct phases: starting with five Global Swings, progressing through the Back 9, and culminating in the DP World Tour Play-Offs in November 2026.
Golf’s global tour next season will see its members compete for a record total prize fund of $157.5 million (excluding the Major Championships).
The brand-new Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship marks the first tournament of the European Swing and will take place May 7-10 at Real Club de Golf El Prat in Barcelona. This new addition follows the recent announcement that the 2031 Ryder Cup will be hosted at Camiral in Catalunya, positioning Spain as the first continental European country to host the prestigious contest twice. El Prat will make its return to the Tour circuit, hosting a DP World Tour event for the first time since the 2015 Open de España.
Alongside the ISCO Championship from July 9-12, DP World Tour members will also have access to the PGA TOUR’s Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic, which debuts as part of the Race to Dubai from July 16-19.
The Genesis Scottish Open, held at the Renaissance Club from July 9-12, will be co-sanctioned with the PGA TOUR and features as one of five prestigious Rolex Series events in 2026. The others are: the Hero Dubai Desert Classic (January 22-25), the BMW PGA Championship (September 17-20), and the Play-Off events — the Abu Dhabi Championship (November 5-8) and the DP World Tour Championship (November 12-15), where the 2026 Race to Dubai Champion will be crowned.
Dubai itself will feature prominently, hosting three events in 2026, including the Dubai Invitational (January 15-18), which returns to the calendar after alternating with the Team Cup in the 2025 season.
A significant change comes to the Amgen Irish Open, which will be hosted at the Trump International Golf Links Ireland in Doonbeg for the first time, running September 10-13. The event remains part of the “Back 9.”
According to Guy Kinnings, the DP World Tour’s Chief Executive:
“Our 2026 schedule once again showcases our global talent in global destinations as we celebrate the diversity of the courses and cultures we visit.
The five Global Swings, the Back 9 and the DP World Tour Play-Offs provide a compelling season-long narrative on the Race to Dubai, comprising many historic national Opens and international events that have an enduring appeal to our members and our fans.
Our thanks go to our partners, broadcasters, promoters, federations and partner Tours for their support and commitment to the DP World Tour and we look forward to once again spotlighting the considerable depth of international talent we have on golf’s global Tour.”
In addition to the global schedule, significant membership structure changes have been confirmed for implementation from the start of the 2026 season, designed to offer players more balanced and predictable opportunities. Key changes include:
- Full card retention through the Race to Dubai Rankings cut-off reduced from the top 110 to the top 100 for 2027.
- All players on the Race to Dubai and/or Road to Mallorca Rankings will be counted when defining categories, reducing the number handled as additions (except for certain amateurs and associate members).
- Players finishing 101–110 on the Race to Dubai Rankings will be eligible for Category 18 (conditional card), ranked below Qualifying School graduates.
- HotelPlanner Tour card awards for top finishers reduced from 20 to 15.
- Positions 16-20 on the Road to Mallorca Rankings will be eligible for Category 19, immediately below Race to Dubai Rankings positions 111-125.
- Qualifying School DP World Tour cards reduced from the top 20 and ties to the top 15 and ties.
- The leading players from six international tours will remain eligible for Category 17, with the next two available from each (PGA Tour of Australasia, Sunshine Tour, Japan Golf Tour, Korean Golf Tour) eligible for full HotelPlanner Tour cards.
The 2026 DP World Tour promises an expanded global footprint, elevated prize money, and sporting drama across some of the world’s most iconic golf courses.
Team V.4-EM-UAE
