Inside Day 1 of the 2026 WSOP: Hype, hope and a giant mystery curtain

The hype is real

Day 1 of the WSOP always brings with it an incredible level of hype, and with more on offer this year, the level of excitement is higher than it’s ever been at the start of a series.

Daniel Negreanu playing and vlogging – and that means the WSOP is back.

Poker Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu: “A lot has changed. We’ve got a crazy set, we’re back on ESPN, we’ve got the WSOP LIVE app, and there are a whole bunch of improvements across the board. We’ve got a new, broader commentary team, people that are dedicated to the World Series of Poker, and that’s the way it should be. People want to be with the best and biggest, and that’s the WSOP.”

Six-time bracelet winner Martin Kabrhel: “I am so excited you can’t even measure it. Do you see that? How excited I am? Can you see that?”

2025 WSOP Main Event runner-up John Wasnock: “I’m excited. In the past, I’d only been able to come down for a week or so, so I’m excited to be down for the long haul this year.”

Martin Kabrhel’s Mini Main Event win in 2025 was bracelet five of his six.

Omar Sader

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There’s something in the air…

It's the WSOP, but not as you know it. There have been changes to Horseshoe and Paris – which feels a bit warmer than last year and noticeably dimmer.

2024 $100K Super High Roller bracelet winner Chris Hunichen: “I just got in here, and everything looks weird to me so far. I walked down the hallway, and the rooms are different. I walked in here, and everything just feels different. It’s going to take a little bit to get used to.

Bracelet winner and poker author Maria Konnikova: "It does feel a little different... The dealers have been great so far – I want to say that because normally on Day 1 the dealers leave something to be desired."

What’s behind the giant curtain?

An incredible new feature table area will be unveiled soon.

While the lighting and a new table layout in the Paris ballroom are a couple of early, noticeable changes, the biggest one is still under wraps. 

The massive set of curtains at the end of the room is hiding what’s unquestionably going to be the most impressive setup for the Mothership/Thunderdome that the WSOP has ever seen.

Rumors have been building, but we think that when the grand reveal is made on Friday, some jaws are going to hit the floor. 

Most people who have seen it are tight-lipped – even Negreanu: “Oh, nope, nothin’. I don’t know [laughs].”

Kabrhel: "I’ve already seen everything, but don’t tell anyone, okay? I think it’s great, and I would say, finally. Finally.”

WSOP US Circuit Manager TJ Reid: "I only work with the Circuit, so I have no idea. But it’s going to be big and beautiful and pretty impressive and more about how they use it than how it looks.”

WSOP Czar Kevin Mathers (KevMath): “It’s ginormous! It basically covers it all, all the production and all the fun stuff. It should be very impressive.”

Wasnock: “I got to take a sneak peek behind the curtain, and it’s amazing. I love the setup. That’s going to be a cool vibe back there on the main stage.”

2025 Main Event runner-up John Wasnock earned his first WSOP Circuit ring this spring.

Austin Currington

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Negreanu: “Have fun. Yeah, simple.”

Wasnock: “I’m trying not to set too many specific goals. I’m going to fire everything and see how it goes, and hopefully I can prove that I can do it again. I’d love to be able to just do this every year.”

Konnikova: “It’s always so exciting on Day 1 – you’re like, ‘I’m gonna crush it this summer.’ Someone may have predicted I'm winning the Main Event, and Nate (Silver) and I are at the same table in the first event, so the story’s lining up.”

We’ll give the last word to Martin Kabrhel.

Kabrhel: “There will be a lot of weird and boring interviews like this one – and hopefully some poker and some bracelets as well.”

^{Images courtesy of the WSOP.}