The Irish Poker Open has once again solidified its standing as the biggest party in poker. While the fun continues in Dublin until April 6, the sad truth is that all great parties must come to an end. Fortunately, the craic will continue on later this year – in both the live and online arenas.
For the first time in its storied history, the Irish Poker Open is going international.
As the Irish Open Main Event nears Day 2 play in Dublin, tour organizers seized the opportunity to announce dates and locations for three international tournament stops – Sydney and Marrakech in 2026 and the United States in 2027.
Additionally, for those who either missed out on the action or simply crave further craic, the virtual streets on PokerStars will provide players with a chance to experience the festival's famous atmosphere from wherever they are on the globe via the Irish Open Afterparty online series.
Irish Open goes international
For its first foray into the international poker scene, the tour will take its offerings to Sydney, Australia, followed by a stop in Marrakech, Morocco – see below for further details.
While the exact dates and location for the United States have yet to be announced, organizers shared intentions to partner with one of the country's premier poker venues.
Sydney, Australia
- Venue: The Poker Palace at Club Marconi
- Dates: September 6-15, 2026
- Main Event Buy-in: $2,000
- Main Event Guarantee: $1,000,000
Marrakech, Morocco
- Venue: Casino de Marrakech
- Dates: November 10-15, 2026
- Main Event Buy-in: €1,150
- Main Event Guarantee: €500,000
Irish Poker Open co-owner Paul O’Reilly said: “The Irish Open has been held in Dublin since 1980 – it’s the oldest No Limit Hold’em event in Europe. But the game itself came from America – introduced by Terry Rogers after he met Benny Binion in Vegas – so being “international” is in our DNA. We are also passionate about innovation so exporting the brand – taking the Irish Open global – is a very logical next step.”
JP McCann added: “Paul and I took over this event over 10 years ago, and from day one the vision was clear – grow the Irish Open and take it global.
“The Irish Open Internationals is something I’ve been developing for several years, and with our 50th anniversary on the horizon in 2030, the plan is to expand worldwide – delivering incredible standalone events in top-tier venues, alongside multiple international Day 1s feeding into our flagship Dublin festival. This is just the beginning of something special.
“Ultimately, our ambition is simple: to make the Irish Open the biggest tournament in the world by its 50th anniversary.”
Irish Open Afterparty online series
The Irish Open Afterparty will run on PokerStars from April 12-20, featuring more than $3M in guaranteed prize pools across the 69-event schedule with buy-ins ranging from $5.50 to $530.
In celebration of the Irish Open and its host country, the schedule features several events inspired by the symbols and folklore of Ireland – events like the Paddy Stack, Four Leaf Clover, The Blarney Bluff, The Leprechaun, and The Celtic Fortune Main Event all pay homage to the 'Emerald Isle.'
Alongside the Irish-themed events, PokerStars Team Pro Benjamin 'Spraggy' Spragg will host two events on the series' opening day – with a Celtic Fortune Main Event ticket up for grabs in each event to the player who eliminates him.
- $11 Spraggy’s Mystery Sunday Storm - April 12, $75K GTD (Bounty on 'Spraggy')
- $75 Spraggy’s Mystery Sunday Special - April 12, $400K GTD (Bounty on 'Spraggy')
- $109 The Celtic Fortune Main Event - April 19, $500K GTD
Players can qualify for Irish Open Afterparty events through satellites on PokerStars, with buy-ins starting as low as $0.55.
“The Irish Poker Open is famous for its atmosphere as much as its poker, and we wanted to make sure that energy carries beyond the tournament floor and onto the online felt,” said Steve Clarricoats, Associate Director of Poker Operations from PokerStars. “Not everyone can make it to Dublin, but that shouldn’t mean missing out on the Irish Open experience. The online series gives players everywhere the chance to take part, compete for titles and be part of something special.”
