The Irish Open – the largest and richest tournament series in Ireland and the longest-running no-limit hold'em tournament in the world outside of Las Vegas – has announced dates and details for the festival's 46th iteration.
From March 26 to April 6, the Royal Dublin Society will once again play host to the Irish Open.
In 2025, the Irish Open enjoyed a record-breaking run across the entire festival schedule. The Main Event drew a field of 4,562 entrants – the largest-ever in its history – to generate a prize pool of €4,447,950. Irishman Simon Wilson outlasted the field to claim the €600,000 first-place prize.
![Simon Wilson]()
Simon Wilson won the largest-ever Irish Open Main Event to take home the €600,000 first-place prize.
Danny Maxwell Photography - DMP
Huge guarantees across the schedule
With 86 events on the Irish Open schedule, the festival seeks to build on its record-breaking run in 2025. There are several huge guarantees on the schedule, including the €2,500,000 GTD Main Event, the €1,000,000 GTD Mini Irish Open, and the €1,000,000 GTD Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty.
Alongside the tournament schedule, the Irish Open offers a dedicated cash game area. With 50 tables running 24/7, the action at the Irish Open continues no matter the time. Additionally, the vibrant, party-like atmosphere makes the festival one of the most exciting tournament series of the year. It's no surprise that the Irish Open won the award for Best Stand-Alone Festival at the Global Poker Awards.
Irish Open co-organizer Paul O’Reilly said: “The Irish Open has always been about more than just cards and chips – it’s a tradition, a gathering and a massive annual celebration of the game we all love. From the very first hand dealt back in 1980, the Irish Open has always carried the spirit of Irish hospitality, competition, and community. We’ve been breaking records every year and the 2025 festival was just incredible – thousands of entries and some truly amazing nights in The Craic Den. We’ve got lots of plans for 2026 and aim to make next year’s festival even bigger and better than ever before.”
