The 2026 World Series of Poker Europe kicks off on Tuesday, March 31 – and it feels like a big deal again.
I was at The Empire Casino in London for the very first WSOPE – the first time a bracelet had been contested outside Las Vegas. Thomas Bihl won the opening event, defeating fan favorite Jennifer Harman heads-up in the £2,500 HORSE event.
I watched Doyle Brunson playing within touching distance of a slot machine in an upstairs gallery because they’d run out of space on the tournament floor. It felt disrespectful – but Doyle only had eyes for the cards.
I was there when Jamie Gold and Mike McDonald got into it, producing some of the most awkward table talk since Michael and Jan’s dinner party on The Office.
I was there when Annette Obrestad won the Main Event – and for other huge moments, like John Juanda’s 19-hour Main Event final table and Daniel Negreanu finishing second in the 2008 Main Event, beaten heads-up by then CardPlayer CEO Barry Shulman.
Chris Moorman was the Main Event runner-up in 2011. Phil Hellmuth won it in 2012. Adrian Mateos won it in 2013. These moments mattered on a global stage. It felt like a true extension of the WSOP.
Then it lost its way.
Back to the big time in Prague
It didn’t run at all in 2014 and 2016 as it alternated with the short-lived WSOP Asia-Pacific.
Then it found a new home in Rozvadov. Only the more committed players traveled from the US, and only the real diehards (Shaun Deeb among them) had much enthusiasm for the location.
It’s been run brilliantly by King’s, with growing numbers – peaking at 817 entries in 2023 – but it felt more like a sideshow. A festival largely for European grinders.
Now, with Prague as its backdrop in 2026, there are four reasons why it feels like the WSOPE will be great again.
1. The stars are coming out
Daniel Negreanu might be too busy on the golf course, but plenty of big names are already on their way to Prague. And, with Triton Jeju finishing on April 1, even more could follow. Here are some of the names confirmed so far:
- Phil Hellmuth
- Michael Mizrachi
- Shaun Deeb
- Leo Margets
- Jesse Lonis
- Xuan Liu
- John Juanda
- Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates
- Shiina Okamoto
- Texas Mike
- Frankie C
- Kitty Kuo
- Jonathan Little
- Martin Kabrhel
And Annette Obrestad is returning to roll it back to 2007. Annette hasn’t been seen in the poker world for eight years, but we helped the WSOP track her down, and she’s going to be the player to announce the famous ‘Shuffle up and deal!’ in the Main Event this year.
2. The Main Event guarantee is big
The WSOP has put a €10M guarantee on the €5,300 Main Event, meaning it needs 2,000 entries to hit it. That’s more than double the previous best of 817.
To give it a chance, there are three Day 1s with two re-entries allowed in each. In 2025, there were two starting flights and one re-entry, with a €10,350 buy-in and a €6M guarantee.
3. Why Prague changes everything
Prague is a destination, not a grind stop. World-class food, history on every corner, and landmarks like Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge within walking distance. Prague might come into its own at Christmas, but it’s a rich and vibrant city to explore all year round. It’s the kind of city players actually want to spend time in.
4. The Player of the Year race starts here
The WSOP Player of the Year has been revamped, and it starts in Prague. It counts your 15 best live results across WSOPE, WSOP Vegas, and WSOP Paradise
You don’t need to play at the WSOPE to win it, but it will help – and there are prizes worth a total of $1M up for grabs. The winner gets a $100K Paradise package and the title. 2nd-3rd also get $100K Paradise packages, and there are prizes all the way down to the top 100.
For the first time in years, this doesn’t feel like a side tour.
It feels like the WSOP again.
The first event of the 2026 WSOP Europe in Prague starts at 12pm local time on March 31. The Main Event runs from April 3-10.
Stick with PokerOrg for all the news from the tournament floor at Hilton Prague.
