WSOP 2026 Kicks Off Tomorrow – Dates, Schedule & What You Need to Know

Originally from the Lake District, UK, I’ve spent the last few years living and breathing the Southeast Asian poker circuit. Since 2025, I’ve been a fixture on the floor at the APT, PokerStars, and WSOP events, serving as a lead reporter and media specialist for Somuchpoker. My work is about more than just recording action; I manage the social media and digital content that brings action rail to the fans. By combining a business education and creative background, I aim to look past the technical hand histories to capture the actual human grit and drama that happens during a deep run.

Updated: 2026.05.26

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is back — and it starts tomorrow. The 57th annual edition of the world’s most prestigious poker festival gets underway on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, running through Wednesday, July 15, at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas on the Strip. With 100 gold bracelet events, a $10,000 Main Event, a delayed final table broadcast live on ESPN, and a new streaming partnership with the Asian Poker Tour , this summer’s WSOP is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about in recent memory.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 World Series of Poker.

WSOP 2026: Key Facts at a Glance

Series Dates: May 26 – July 15, 2026
Venue: Horseshoe Las Vegas & Paris Las Vegas, Nevada
Total Bracelet Events: 100 (live) + 30 (online)
Main Event Buy-In: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Main Event Dates: July 2 – July 13 (final table TBD)
Opening Event: $550 Mini Mystery Millions (May 26)
Broadcast Partners: ESPN, WSOP YouTube, Asian Poker Tour

What’s New at the 2026 WSOP?

This year’s series is not simply a carbon copy of 2025. Several notable changes and additions make the 2026 WSOP worth paying attention to beyond the bracelet count.

New bracelet events on the schedule include the $550 Mini Mystery Millions (the new series opener across six flights from May 26–30), the $10,000 GGMillion$ High Roller, the $1,500 Pick Your PLO, the $500 Summer Saver, and the $1,700 U.S. Circuit Championship — a first for the WSOP, bringing Circuit grinders to Las Vegas for a gold bracelet event rather than the usual ring.

For the first time, a WSOP Circuit series in Las Vegas will also run concurrently with the bracelet schedule from July 14–25, giving players who bust the Main Event more reason to stick around. Hustler Casino Live is moving its Million Dollar Game to the WSOP on June 12 — the first high-stakes cash game livestream ever held at the Series itself.

On the broadcast side, a new multi-year deal with ESPN has been confirmed, including a return to a delayed final table — a structure reminiscent of the old “November Nine” era, designed to build anticipation before the finale airs.

APT Joins WSOP as Official Livestream Partner

One of the bigger announcements heading into the 2026 series is a new partnership between the Asian Poker Tour, sponsored by Natural8 , and the WSOP. The APT will join the official WSOP livestream for the summer, with the tour’s logo featured on selected live-streamed tables and special guests joining commentary broadcasts. Coverage is free on the official WSOP YouTube channel.

The APT will also run a dedicated booth inside Paris Las Vegas throughout the series. Visitors can sign up to the tour and enter a draw to win a USD 15,000 APT Championship 2026 package — a USD 10,000 Main Event seat to the USD 5 million guaranteed Freezeout in Taipei (November 13–29) plus USD 5,000 in travel and accommodation. The competition runs May 26 to July 15 and is open to everyone: post a lion-inspired image on Facebook, Instagram, or X with #APTContest and #APTC2026. Full details on the official APT contest page.

The 2026 WSOP Main Event

The centerpiece of every WSOP summer is the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship. The Main Event begins on July 2, with the final table set to follow after July 13 on a date still to be confirmed by the WSOP.

Based on recent years — back-to-back entry records in 2023 and 2024, and the third-largest field in history in 2025 with 9,735 entries and a prize pool exceeding $90 million — the 2026 edition could once again approach the five-figure entry mark. First place in 2025 paid $10 million, with a similar prize expected this summer.

High Roller Events at WSOP 2026

The upper end of the buy-in ladder is well catered for. The most expensive event on the schedule is the $250,000 Super High Roller on June 13, closely followed by the $100,000 High Roller PLO on June 15. The $25,000 NLHE Heads-Up Championship gets an early start on May 29, with a locked field of 64. Defending champion Artur Martirosian will be among those looking to retain his title.

A second $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em also features in July, giving the high-stakes crowd two shots at a six-figure bracelet event at the top end of the schedule.

Playing the WSOP on a Budget

Not every event at the 2026 WSOP requires a five-figure bankroll. Five bracelet events carry buy-ins under $1,000, headlined by the $550 Mini Mystery Millions opener. The $300 Gladiators of Poker (July 8–11) is the cheapest multi-flight bracelet event of the summer, while the $500 Summer Saver offers a value play late in the series. More than half of all 100 events fall between the $1,000 and $5,000 range.

WSOP Online 2026: 30 Bracelet Events, $7M Guaranteed

WSOP 2026

Running alongside the live series from May 30 to July 14, the 2026 WSOP Online Bracelet series features 30 gold bracelet events with over $7 million in combined guarantees, available to players in Nevada, New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. The WSOP Online Bracelet Leaderboard returns with $50,000 in prizes for top performers, and two 25-Seat Scramble tournaments on June 28 and June 30 will each award 25 live Main Event seats.

Follow WSOP 2026 with Somuchpoker

Somuchpoker will be tracking the action throughout the summer. Follow us on social media for results, recaps, and news from Las Vegas all the way through to the Main Event final table.

For full event listings, results, and coverage of every stop on the poker calendar, visit the WSOP tour page on Somuchpoker.

Images courtesy of WSOP, APT and PokerNews.