The Road to $500K Begins: WPT Cambodia Championship Event Starts Tomorrow

Tomorrow marks the start of one of the most awaited events on the WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship 2026 calendar: the Championship Event , featuring a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool and a $1,300 buy-in.

For players who have been waiting for the biggest event of the festival, the wait is finally over. The opening flight gets underway tomorrow, August 20, with Day 1A starting at 11:30 AM local time at NagaWorld .

Three Starting Flights, One Championship

Day 1A will run through 14 levels, with registration remaining open until the start of Level 10, expected at around 6:00 PM. Unlike some tournaments, the starting flights will not continue until the money. Instead, each flight will play the scheduled 14 levels before bagging and tagging.

Day 1B follows on August 21, starting at the same time and following the same structure, while Day 1C on August 22 will provide the final opportunity for players to enter the Championship Event.

All surviving players from the three starting flights will then return for Day 2, where the combined field will continue the race toward the money and the bubble will finally burst.

For players making their way through the starting flights, every chip bagged will matter. Once Day 2 begins, there will be no more starting flights to fall back on – just the remaining field, the money and the road to the title.

More Than Just the Trophy

The eventual champion will take home the top prize, the coveted WPT Cambodia Championship trophy, and something even bigger: a transferable $10,400 World Championship 2026 Entry from the prize pool.

The added value does not stop there. Players finishing from first through fifth place will each receive a transferable $1,100 WPT Prime Championship 2026 Entry, also coming from the prize pool.

That gives players another reason to chase every spot deep into the tournament. The goal is not simply to win a trophy, but to earn a package of opportunities that can carry their WPT journey even further.

A Record Waiting to Be Challenged

There is also a little history attached to this event.

The last time the WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship was held at NagaWorld was in 2024, when the Championship Event carried the same $1,300 buy-in and $500,000 guaranteed. The tournament drew a record-breaking 913 entries, building a $1,040,592 prize pool, more than doubling the original guarantee and turning the event into one of the standout tournaments of the festival.

It was Sha Chengchun who ultimately captured the title. Chengchun defeated Xiaosheng Zheng heads-up to claim the trophy, the $175,542 top prize and the coveted $10,400 World Championship seat.

#P WPT Cambodia Passport to World Championship ($1,300)

Total Prize USD

$1,040,592

Total Prize

1M USD

Guaranteed

500K USD

$500,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool. 40,000 chips, 40/60-minute levels, winner receives a $10,400 WPT World Championship entry plus 7 nights accomodation. 2nd/3rd place each receive a WPT Prime Championship entry

#	Payout	Player	SPI
1	$0	SC Sha Chengchun China
2	$0	XZ Xiaosheng Zheng China
3	$0	ZC Zhang Cheng () China
4	$0	HT Ho Tuan Viet Nam
5	$0	AB Adrien Berger France
6	$0	PB Pham Bao Viet Nam
7	$0	YK Yamamoto Kazuo Japan
8	$0	TB Thi Bao Nguyen Viet Nam
9	$0	TH Trung Ha Nguyen Viet Nam

Check the 115 Payouts & Results ...

Where Is the Last Champion Now?

Chengchun’s victory remains part of the event’s story, but his name has not appeared in recent live tournament results.

Following that 2024 title run, Chengchun has not recorded another live tournament cash since December 2024, suggesting he may have stepped away from, or taken a break from, the live tournament circuit.

That leaves an interesting question heading into this year’s Championship Event: who will be the next player to put their name on the trophy?

The previous champion may not be here to defend his title, but the field arriving tomorrow will have its own stories. Some will be regulars looking to add another WPT title, while others will be taking their shot at a major international tournament for the first time.

And with a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool, a $10,400 World Championship Entry waiting for the winner and a record of 913 entries to chase, there is plenty at stake from the first shuffle of the deck.

Somuchpoker Will Be There

As always, Somuchpoker will be on the ground at NagaWorld to bring you the action from the opening flight through Day 2 and all the way to the champion.

We will be following Day 1A, Day 1B and Day 1C, tracking the field, key hands, notable stacks and the players who make it through to Day 2. Then comes the part every tournament player is waiting for: the bubble, the final table and the fight for the trophy.

The road to the next WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship winner begins tomorrow at 11:30 AM.

Follow Somuchpoker for live updates, results and all the latest news from every flight through to the final day.

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