PokerStars LIVE Returns to Okada Manila in June with PHP 7M GTD Manila Special
PokerStars LIVE returns to the Philippines with the Manila Special 2026, a seven-day festival running from June 15 to 21, 2026 at Okada Manila. With a PHP 7,000,000+ total guaranteed prize pool on offer across the week, the series serves up accessible buy-ins, a packed schedule of formats, and a direct pathway into the upcoming APPT Manila (July 28–August 10, PHP 60M GTD) at Cove Manila.
A special week of action on the felt runs from June 15–21, 2026 at PokerStars Live Manila Special !
Join us for seven days of live play featuring affordable buy-ins and GTD events at the all-in-one entertainment destination,
👉Full Structures: https://t.co/HPSWEcqiVf pic.twitter.com/efB9JMaOma
— PokerStars LIVE Manila (@PSLiveManila) May 14, 2026
Manila Special 2026 – Highlighted Events
Event | Dates | Buy-In | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
Mini Warm-up Marathon (Event #1) | June 15 | ₱3,500 | ₱750,000 |
Warm-up (Event #6) | June 16–18 | ₱4,500 | ₱2,000,000 |
Manila Special Main Event (Event #16) | June 18–21 | ₱7,500 | ₱3,000,000 |
Survivor Knockout ₱20K Bounty (Event #32) | June 21 | ₱10,000 | ₱1,000,000 |
SuperStack Freezeout (Event #27) | June 20 | ₱10,000 | — |
The centrepiece is the Manila Special Main Event, a four-flight, play-into-the-money tournament with a ₱7,500 buy-in and a ₱3,000,000 guarantee. The top three finishers each receive an APPT Manila Main Event package valued at ₱150,000, with places four through nine receiving a Super Qualifier entry worth ₱9,000.
Satellites into the Main Event run throughout the series from as little as ₱1,500, with the cheapest entry point into the APPT Manila pathway starting at just ₱500 via the Step 1 Mega Qualifier.
Full Schedule
Click to Expand: Full Manila Special 2026 Schedule (June 15–21)
Event | Time | Tournament | Buy-In |
|---|---|---|---|
Monday, June 15 | |||
#1A | 13:00 | Mini Warm-up Marathon ₱750K GTD (Flight A) | ₱3,500 |
#2 | 15:00 | Shot Clock – Freezeout | ₱6,000 |
#1B | 15:00 | Mini Warm-up Marathon ₱750K GTD (Flight B) | ₱3,500 |
#3 | 18:00 | Warm-up ₱2M GTD – Qualifier [5 Seats GTD] | ₱1,000 |
#1C | 17:00 | Mini Warm-up Marathon ₱750K GTD (Flight C) | ₱3,500 |
#4 | 20:00 | Step 1 – APPT Manila Main Event Mega Qualifier R+A [3 Seats GTD] | ₱500 |
#1 Final | 21:00 | Mini Warm-up Marathon – Final | — |
Tuesday, June 16 | |||
#5 | 12:00 | Warm-up ₱2M GTD – Qualifier [3 Seats GTD] | ₱600 |
#6A | 13:00 | Warm-up A – ₱2M GTD (Play ITM) | ₱4,500 |
#7 | 15:00 | Shot Clock – NLH | ₱8,000 |
#6B | 18:00 | Warm-up B – ₱2M GTD (Play ITM) | ₱4,500 |
#8 | 20:00 | Step 1 – APPT Manila Main Event Mega Qualifier R+A [3 Seats GTD] | ₱500 |
#9 | 21:00 | Warm-up ₱2M GTD – Qualifier [5 Seats GTD] | ₱1,000 |
Wednesday, June 17 | |||
#10 | 12:00 | Warm-up ₱2M GTD – Qualifier [3 Seats GTD] | ₱600 |
#6C | 13:00 | Warm-up C – ₱2M GTD (Play ITM) | ₱4,500 |
#11 | 15:00 | Deepstack | ₱8,000 |
#6D | 18:00 | Warm-up D – ₱2M GTD (Play ITM) | ₱4,500 |
#12 | 19:00 | Manila Special ₱3M GTD – Qualifier [10 Seats GTD] | ₱1,500 |
#13 | 20:00 | Step 1 – APPT Manila Main Event Mega Qualifier R+A [3 Seats GTD] | ₱500 |
#14 | 21:00 | Turbo | ₱4,000 |
Thursday, June 18 | |||
#15 | 12:00 | Manila Special ₱3M GTD – Qualifier [3 Seats GTD] | ₱1,500 |
#16A | 13:00 | Manila Special A – ₱3M GTD (Play ITM) | ₱7,500 |
#6 Day 2 | 13:00 | Warm-up – Day 2 Final | — |
#17 | 18:00 | SuperStack – Turbo | ₱5,000 |
#18 | 19:00 | Manila Special ₱3M GTD – Qualifier [3 Seats GTD] | ₱1,500 |
#19 | 20:00 | Super Knockout [₱2K Bounty] – Turbo | ₱4,000 |
#20 | 20:00 | Step 1 – APPT Manila Main Event Mega Qualifier [5 Seats GTD] | ₱1,300 |
Friday, June 19 | |||
#21 | 12:00 | Manila Special ₱3M GTD – Qualifier [3 Seats GTD] | ₱1,500 |
#16B | 13:00 | Manila Special B – ₱3M GTD (Play ITM) | ₱7,500 |
#22 | 18:00 | PLO Knockout [₱2K Bounty] – Turbo | ₱5,000 |
#23 | 19:00 | Manila Special ₱3M GTD – Qualifier [3 Seats GTD] | ₱1,500 |
#24 | 20:00 | Hyper Turbo | ₱3,000 |
#25 | 20:00 | Step 1 – APPT Manila Main Event Mega Qualifier [5 Seats GTD] | ₱1,300 |
Saturday, June 20 | |||
#26 | 12:00 | Manila Special ₱3M GTD – Qualifier [3 Seats GTD] | ₱1,500 |
#16C | 13:00 | Manila Special C – ₱3M GTD (Play ITM) | ₱7,500 |
#27 | 15:00 | SuperStack – Freezeout | ₱10,000 |
#16D | 18:00 | Manila Special D [20min] – ₱3M GTD (Play ITM) | ₱7,500 |
#28 | 19:00 | Survivor Knockout Qualifier [5 Seats GTD] | ₱2,000 |
#29 | 20:00 | UltraStack – Hyper Turbo | ₱5,000 |
#30 | 20:00 | Step 1 – APPT Manila Main Event Mega Qualifier [5 Seats GTD] | ₱1,300 |
Sunday, June 21 | |||
#31 | 12:00 | Survivor Knockout ₱1M GTD – Qualifier | ₱1,300 |
#32 | 13:00 | Survivor Knockout [₱20K Bounty] – ₱1M GTD | ₱10,000 |
#16 Day 2 | 13:00 | Manila Special – Day 2 Final | — |
#33 | 16:00 | Step 1 – APPT Manila Main Event Mega Qualifier [5 Seats GTD] | ₱1,300 |
#34 | 18:00 | APPT Manila Mega Qualifier [10 Seats GTD] | ₱9,000 |
#35 | 18:00 | Knockout [₱1K Bounty] – Hyper Turbo | ₱5,000 |
All tournaments are subject to regulatory approval. Guarantees are not applicable during a typhoon. A 3% fee is withheld from all tournament and satellite prize pools to cover staffing costs. The full event structures and blind levels are available via the
.
The Venue: Okada Manila
The Manila Special takes place at Okada Manila, a five-star integrated resort in Entertainment City, Parañaque, roughly eight kilometres from NAIA airport. The property is home to the dedicated PokerStars LIVE Manila poker room, which has been named the best poker room in Asia in back-to-back years. For major festivals the room expands into larger event spaces to accommodate the field, with professional dealers, auto-shufflers, and table-side service throughout.
Entry to the casino is strictly for guests aged 21 and older, with a valid government ID or passport required at the door.
About the Philippines Poker Scene
The Philippines is one of Asia's most established poker destinations, with the game fully legal and regulated across licensed casino properties. Manila in particular has grown into a year-round hub for both local grinders and international players, with Okada serving as the flagship venue for PokerStars LIVE's regional calendar. For players new to the country, a full overview is available in our Philippines poker guide.
For more information on the Manila Special 2026, visit PokerStarsLIVEManila.com or contact the team at [email protected].
About the Editor
Callum Jury is Somuchpoker's Live Content and Social Media Specialist, reporting live from WSOP and Asia Pacific poker festivals including the APT and PokerStars LIVE series. Originally from the Lake District in the UK, he has covered the Southeast Asian poker circuit since 2025, combining day-by-day tournament reporting with the social and digital content that brings the action to fans.
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