WSOP Turns Player of the Year Into a Global Season for 2026

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By Samantha Doyle
16 Dec 2025
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Samantha Doyle 16 Dec 2025
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  • WSOP's 2026 Player of the Year competition links three major series: WSOP Europe, Las Vegas, and Paradise.
  • Revamped scoring system promotes consistent performance with a $1M prize pool.
  • Players can qualify online via GGPoker & WSOP Online.
WSOP Player of the Year

The World Series of Poker has never lacked big moments, but in 2026 it’s clearly aiming for something bigger than a single headline stop. The WSOP has announced a reworked Player of the Year race that links its three flagship live series into one global competition, complete with a $1 million prize pool.


For the first time, results from WSOP Europe, the summer series in Las Vegas, and WSOP Paradise will all count toward a single Player of the Year leaderboard. We're here to tell you what that means for you, the players.

How the 2026 Player of the Year Race Works

Under the new format, the WSOP Player of the Year competition will track performance across all three major live series on the 2026 calendar. An updated scoring system will be used to balance results across stops, with the aim of rewarding players who perform well repeatedly rather than those who peak at a single festival.

The total Player of the Year prize pool stands at $1,000,000. The overall winner will receive an enhanced $100,000 WSOP Paradise package, while players finishing inside the top 100 will earn a mix of WSOP packages and tournament tickets.

Prague Launches the Race With a $10M Guaranteed Main Event

The opening chapter of the Player of the Year season takes place at WSOP Europe in Prague, running from March 31 to April 12, 2026. The series features 15 bracelet events and sets the tone immediately with one of the largest guarantees ever announced in Europe.

The €5,300 Main Event carries a $10,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, a figure that eclipses any European poker tournament guarantee from 2025. WSOP Europe will also debut the European Circuit Championship, a €1,500 No Limit Hold’em event with a €1.5 million guarantee.

Together, the two events anchor a schedule designed to attract both high-stakes regulars and mid-stakes grinders chasing early Player of the Year points.

Las Vegas Remains the Mid-Season Centerpiece

After Prague, the Player of the Year race shifts to Las Vegas for the 57th annual World Series of Poker. The summer series runs from May 26 to July 15, 2026, hosted at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas.

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While Las Vegas remains the largest concentration of bracelet events and points, it now functions as the middle leg of a longer global season rather than the final word on Player of the Year.

WSOP Paradise Closes the Loop

The season concludes with WSOP Paradise, scheduled for December 1 to December 18, 2026. With Player of the Year points still in play, Paradise becomes the decisive final stop, where late runs can reshuffle the leaderboard and determine the eventual winner.

Qualifying Online

Players can qualify online for all three WSOP stops. GGPoker will host satellite tournaments for international players, while WSOP Online will run qualifiers for U.S.-based players.

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