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UNHCR - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

02/06/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/06/2026 05:01

LIV Golf and UNHCR host high-level event in Riyadh to champion the power of sport for refugees and vulnerable communities

RIYADH - LIV Golf and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, convened leaders from the private sector and the world of sport this week to build on progress made in their one-year-old partnership to improve the lives of forcibly displaced and vulnerable people through sport, including golf. 

The event was held at the Hilton Riyadh on the sidelines of the ROSHN Group LIV Golf Riyadh event. Titled, "From the sidelines to the world's biggest sporting spaces, connecting refugees and vulnerable communities to international sport events," it highlighted the growing role of sport in creating meaningful opportunities for people forced to flee and their hosts while connecting community and grassroots sport with global sporting events.

The gathering built on the landmark announcement made by LIV Golf in December 2025, during the progress review of the Global Refugee Forum, the world's largest international gathering on refugee issues. There, LIV Golf became the first golf partner to join the Sport for Refugee Coalition, a global movement of more than 140 organizations advancing refugee inclusion and protection through sport.

LIV Golf is pioneering the introduction of golf in refugee settings to strengthen well-being, social cohesion and community resilience. Together with UNHCR and partners, it is developing the first-ever Golf for Protection toolkit, offering training and resources to help displaced people and host communities discover a new sport. This week's event highlighted how global sporting platforms can contribute to positive outcomes for refugee and other vulnerable communities and connect them with international sport, with UNHCR and LIV Golf representatives emphasizing golf's potential to build confidence, resilience and brighter futures for refugee youth.

Jake Jones, SVP, Impact & Sustainability for LIV Golf, said: "Over the past year, our partnership with UNHCR has demonstrated that golf and golf values can be a transformative tool for improving the lives of refugees. By becoming the first golf partner to join the Sport for Refugee Coalition and collaboratively producing the Golf for Protection toolkit, LIV Golf and UNHCR are pioneering the introduction of the game in refugee settings to foster well-being, social cohesion and community resilience while also providing the training and resources needed to build confidence and brighter futures for refugee youth. We're looking forward to continuing to build on this important progress and working with UNHCR for years to come."

Reflecting on the progress and impact of the partnership, Dr. Nadjia Hafsa, UNHCR Deputy Representative to the GCC Countries, added: "For refugees, sport can provide more than physical activity, it can offer healing, stability, dignity and hope. Our work with LIV Golf is already demonstrating how sport can help forcibly displaced youth regain a sense of normalcy and rebuild their futures. We value LIV Golf's leadership and vision, especially their commitment to bringing refugee voices and talents into international sporting platforms. Together, we are helping ensure that no one is left on the sidelines."

Contacts

Notes to the editor

The partnership between UNHCR and LIV Golf was signed in October 2024, marking the first time a golf entity entered the humanitarian space at scale. The agreement laid the foundation for a shared vision, leveraging the global reach of golf to support forcibly displaced people and vulnerable communities. Today's event in Riyadh highlighted the continued momentum and ambition that began with the signing, demonstrating how the partnership has grown from a bold commitment into meaningful, measurable impact across six countries. Since its signing, the partnership has directly reached 8,356 refugees and host community members across Asia, Africa, Europe and South America. Its wider impact has indirectly reached 377,781 people, as the positive effects of sport extend from playing fields into homes, schools, and community spaces.

About UNHCR

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We lead international action to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Sport and games have been found in humanitarian settings for as long as UNHCR has been working with people forced to flee conflict and persecution. Recognizing the power of sport, UNHCR works to develop partnerships, programmes, projects and tools to support the social development, inclusion, cohesion, and well-being - in particular of children, adolescents and youth - in displacement contexts.

Find out more about UNHCR's sport for protection work.

About LIV Golf

Now in its fourth season, the LIV Golf League features 13 teams competing for both an Individual and Team title at premier golf courses across the globe. As an international golf league, LIV Golf is constantly innovating to set a new standard in sport and redefine the fan experience through the lens of music, culture, and entertainment, while growing the game of golf for a new era of players and fans around the world. Headquartered in New York and London, the League holds events in cities across Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Africa, with broadcasts reaching nearly a billion households in more than 200 international markets and territories. LIV Golf was designed to expand the sport on a global level, bring new audiences to the game, create new value within the golfing ecosystem, and enhance the game's societal impact far beyond the course through the League's Impact & Sustainability efforts.

In 2022, LIV Golf launched The International Series, which features elevated events in world-class destinations. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, these events offer a pathway for leading professional and amateur golfers from around the world into the LIV Golf League and the Majors.  

UNHCR - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees published this content on February 06, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on February 06, 2026 at 11:01 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]