Fresh talks between LIV Golf and UNHCR were held to reinforce their shared commitment to supporting displaced communities, alongside an update on the Sport for Protection partnership. The collaboration has reached nearly 400,000 people in its first year through golf and wellbeing initiatives delivered across multiple regions worldwide.
The discussions took place in Riyadh ahead of the LIV Golf League season opener, bringing representatives from both organisations together for a dedicated panel session. The tournament itself concluded on Saturday, with Elvis Smylie claiming a debut victory.
Jake Jones, LIV Golf SVP of Impact & Sustainability, said:
“Coming into 2026, we have deep foundations across our business that allow us to take several steps forward, quickly. Year one was about establishing the basics and understanding how golf could work in a refugee setting.
“We’ve now proven that golf makes a difference to their lives positively. In years two and three, we now get to increase the scale and the scope of our work.”
The panel marked the beginning of the second year of a three year commitment valued at $10 million, the first partnership of its kind between the sport of golf and UNHCR. Speakers outlined progress achieved so far and restated the long term objective of improving conditions and opportunities for people living in refugee settings.
Global Impact Grows Through Sport for Protection Programs
In its first year, the program has delivered measurable impact on the ground. More than 8,300 refugees and members of host communities across four continents have participated directly in golf based sport and play activities aimed at strengthening wellbeing and encouraging social connection.
The influence of the initiative has extended far beyond those taking part in sessions. A further 370,000 people have benefited indirectly, including families, classmates and wider communities linked to participants.
The partnership is built around UNHCR’s Sport for Protection framework, which uses structured play as a tool to promote social cohesion and support mental wellbeing in displacement affected environments.
The session featured opening remarks from LIV Golf Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Burian and a keynote address delivered by Regional UNHCR Deputy Representative Dr Nadjia Hafsa. Their contributions outlined how the initiatives have been embedded within community centres, schools and refugee camps in six pilot countries during the past year.
Taleb Salhab, UNHCR’s Chief of Private Sector Partnerships & Philanthropy in the MENA Regin, emphasised the strategic nature of the collaboration:
“This is a critically important one-of-a-kind global partnership in sport. Golf helps bring communities together and build valuable skills amongst refugees.
“We hope at the end of the three years, we will see the impact of this partnership and will have laid the foundation to scale this all over the world.”
A key focus of the long term strategy is the creation of a pioneering Golf Protection Toolkit. Designed as a practical and repeatable resource, the framework enables local leaders to deliver trauma informed sport programs on their own, an approach that UNHCR Global Head of Sport Stephen Reynard said is essential amid ongoing pressures on humanitarian funding worldwide.
Building Long Term Change With the Golf Protection Toolkit
Reynard commented:
“The support from LIV Golf is helping us provide lifesaving services to the people we serve.
“We’re in the process of rolling out a golf toolkit with golf-inspired games to offer refugees a healthy distraction, some of whom have lived through traumatic experiences after being forced to flee from their homes. This partnership is really unlocking the power of golf for refugees around the world.”
A broadcast clip from the panel discussion and the joint UNHCR x LIV Golf video, showcasing the work completed during the partnership’s first year, can be viewed here.
For more information on LIV Golf’s impact initiatives, visit LIVGolf.com.
LIV Golf and UNHCR Partnership Explained: All You Need to Know
- Three year $10 million agreement using golf to support refugee wellbeing worldwide.
- Nearly 400,000 people reached in the first year through direct and indirect sport based programs.
- Long term focus on scalable impact through the Sport for Protection framework and Golf Protection Toolkit.
