WSOP Europe 2026 is about a month and a half away, with the series moving away from Rozvadov for the first time since 2015. The series, taking place at the Hilton Hotel in Prague, Czech Republic, will make its spring debut, having taken place in the fall since launching in 2007. WSOP Europe will commence on March 31st and run through April 12th, 2026, rivaling the world-famous Irish Poker Open (March 26 – April 6).
With the NSUS group, home of GGPoker, having purchased the WSOP brand in August 2024 for $500M, it only makes sense that the World Series of Poker has undergone massive changes. Specifically, they’ve heavily altered the WSOP calendar, shifting Europe to the spring, reworking the WSOP Circuit calendar, and removing the WSOP Tournament of Champions.
With the Prague schedule out and 15 bracelet events to look forward to, the WSOP Content Team recently interviewed WSOP International Tournament Director Andy Tillman to talk all things WSOP Europe.
New tournament formats
WSOP Europe features the €2,750 Rounder Cup, which has players from the EU playing in one flight, while everyone from the rest of the world competes in the other flight. Not only are players competing for a bracelet, but continental bragging rights as well.
“It’s the E.U. versus the world, kind of a spin-off of the Ryder Cup and our Battle of the Ages from last summer,” Tillman said.
“We were picking ideas that were fun and different. Someone brought up the Ryder Cup, and I was just like, ‘Well, we had a similar concept in Vegas, but instead of ages, why don’t we do it by where everyone’s from, because everyone’s coming to Europe?
“We’re going to be in Europe, so why don’t we treat them almost like the home team?’ In the end, it’s still a poker tournament, but it adds a little wrinkle to it.”
According to new WSOP U.S. Circuit Manager T.J. Reid, your passport determines which side you can compete in. Eligibility is based on the UN’s list of European countries. Therefore, some players who reside in European countries, like Switzerland and the United Kingdom, will compete in the ‘Rest of the World’ flight.
There will also be an €1,100 PLO Double Board Bomb Pot event. They’ve added double board bomb pot events to the flagship schedule in each of the last two years; coincidentally, both won by mixed games wizard Xixiang Luo.
Tillman claims that the bomb pot format is helping poker become fun again.
“With poker, we tend to get so focused on the game itself and everyone playing to grind, and it tends to become, you know, too serious,” Tillman said.
“We tend to lose the more recreational guys who don’t get the enjoyment out of it. It’s just a different twist on the same game that adds more fun to it because it’s not really something anyone really plays all the time for a tournament. It’s giving everyone something different, something more fun and exciting.”
New €10M GTD WSOP Europe Main Event
The new WSOP Europe Main Event is set to smash the previous record of 817, set in 2023, thanks to two huge changes. Not only has WSOP Europe added a €10M guarantee, but they’ve lowered the buy-in from €10,350 to just €5,300. They’ll need at least 2,000 entries to meet the guarantee.
Though it’ll be a big difference volume-wise, Tillman says there won’t be much difference operationally.
“In our day-to-day operations, realistically, it doesn’t change a lot,” Tillman said. “You know, when you’re having a €10 million guarantee, obviously, we’re going to have more volume, more players, more re-entry, it’s going to be busier.
“The main focus of preparation specifically for the Main Event is that it’s the Main Event. Players want everything done well, and that’s where I want everything as well run as possible.”
New WSOP Player of the Year competition
WSOP Europe is set to carry much more weight than in previous years, as the revamped WSOP Player of the Year race requires participation at all three international stops.
Back in December, the World Series of Poker announced a new WSOP Player of the Year system that encompasses the WSOP Europe, Las Vegas, and WSOP Paradise. It comes with a $1 million prize pool, with the top-three players receiving a $100,000 WSOP Paradise package. The rest of the players in the top 15 will be awarded a $30,000 WSOP Super Main Event package for WSOP Paradise.
The players ranked 16th to 50th will each win a $5,000 WSOP Paradise package for the Circuit Championship. They will also be put into a random draw for one $30,000 Super Main Event package. The final 50 players will be awarded a $2,500 ticket to the Circuit Championship, with six players receiving an upgrade to a $5,000 Circuit Championship package via random draw.
2026 WSOP Europe schedule
There will be a total of 15 bracelets awarded at WSOP Europe. Just a couple of weeks ago, WSOP Europe added a €1,000 Ladies Championship, with many of the world’s biggest female stars like Shiina Okamoto and Vanessa Kade having confirmed their attendance.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2026 | Event #1: €1,100 The Opener – NLHE Mystery Bounty |
| Mar 31, 2026 | Event #2: €3,300 PLO Mixed |
| Apr 02, 2026 | Event #3: €565 COLLOSUS NLHE |
| Apr 03, 2026 | Event #4: €565 PLOSSUS Bounty PLO |
| Apr 03, 2026 | Event #5: €5,300 WSOPE Main Event NLHE European Championship (€10M GTD) |
| Apr 05, 2026 | Event #6: €1,000 Ladies Championship |
| Apr 06, 2026 | Event #7: €2,200 Turbo Bounty NLHE |
| Apr 06, 2026 | Event #8: €1,500 Monster Stack NLH |
| Apr 06, 2026 | Event #9: €5,300 PLO European Championship |
| Apr 07, 2026 | Event #10: €2,750 Rounder Cup NLHE (EU vs. Rest of World) |
| Apr 08, 2026 | Event #11: €20,800 NL Super High Roller |
| Apr 09, 2026 | Event #12: €1,500 European Circuit Championship NLHE (€1.5M GTD) |
| Apr 10, 2026 | Event #13: €8,400 GGMillion$ High Roller |
| Apr 11, 2026 | Event #14: €1,100 PLO Double Board Bomb Pot |
| Apr 12, 2026 | Event #15: €2,750 The Closer NLHE Turbo Bounty |
