New format
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has released schedules for the first half of 2026’s WSOP Circuit and WSOP International events as the poker brand embarks on a new calendar-year format.
The WSOP announced its new-look event calendar on Thursday, with 24 locations selected in the US, Europe, Canada, and Africa. It took to X to share news of the 2026 schedule running from January to May:
The Caesars Entertainment sub-brand heads first to Las Vegas on January 1 where it remains at Planet Hollywood until January 12. The 18 domestic locations leg will conclude in Louisiana at Caesars New Orleans on May 25.
According to a WSOP news release, the 2026 season “marks a historic and strategic shift” as the Circuit pivots to a permanent calendar-year schedule.
Perks and predictability
In its official news release, WSOP said the calendar-year format strengthened its brand positioning as the “most consistent and accessible pathway to poker glory” in the world.
a new era of predictability for our players”
WSOP CEO Ty Stewart stated the change “marks a new era of predictability for our players, allowing them to better plan their pursuit of the coveted gold rings.”
Another new perk for 2026 is that all WSOP Circuit gold ring winners will receive a $5,000 package to cover tournament entries and accommodations for WSOP Europe or WSOP Paradise.
Remaining the same as before, however, is the buy-in for a majority of Main Events at $1,700 for US events. WSOP International festivals will feature “a similar entry point in domestic currencies.”
According to the news release, the 2026 WSOP International Circuit Tour online satellites will be hosted at GGPoker, while confirmed locations include the Côte d’Azur in France and Marrakesh in Morocco, with WSOP recommending checking GGPoker.com “regularly for more information.”
App and away
All WSOP-C stops will also feature the WSOP+ app Pokerfuse said had “proven immensely popular with the players, improving their experience in every sense.” The app offers tournament registration, payout details, and “real-time data access” for each event.
The Caesars’ sub-brand stated it would release the June to December schedule for the second half of 2026 in the summer of next year, prior to the WSOP Main Event in Vegas.
WSOP’s Stewart wrapped up Thursday’s news stating WSOP-C was “the lifeblood of our brand, consistently delivering world-class poker and massive prize pools to players across the globe.”
