World Series of Poker Main Event to Be Broadcast Live on ESPN

by Roy Brindley, 30 March 2026

ESPN will broadcast the World Series of Poker live in a cliffhanger format while action will be paused for 20 days before the final table action starts.

An ESPN crew records Main Event happenings at the 2006 World Series of Poker. The broadcaster returns to present the action again this year. © Getty Images

Key Facts:

• The World Series of Poker is returning to the ESPN broadcasting network.
• Goal is to bring the WSOP to the widest possible audience.
• Award-winning production company appointed to deliver storytelling lens to the poker table.
• Highlight will be a three-day live televised final table.

The World Series of Poker has announced it has entered into a multi-year agreement to return poker’s most prestigious event to ESPN. The deal will see the American sports broadcasting network provide comprehensive coverage of the $10,000 No-Limit Texas Hold’em World Championship starting this summer.

This year, the WSOP Main Event will reach its crescendo with a three-night finale broadcast live during prime time on linear television. Organisers say the exciting new agreement “signals a new era for the [WSOP] brand under its current ownership, prioritising mainstream reach and high-end storytelling.”

ESPN’s WSOP Main Event broadcasts will begin on July 2 with Day 1A coverage of proceedings. Under the new agreement, poker fans can expect wall-to-wall coverage with each 2026 WSOP tournament day receiving a minimum of six hours of programming.

20-Day Break in Play Ahead of WSOP Final Table

In what the WSOP describes as “a strategic return to a cliffhanger television format,” event executives say that once the tournament reaches the final table on July 13, play will be paused. The surviving finalists will reconvene 20 days later for a live, three-day televised finale airing on August 3rd-5th.

During the 20-day break, ESPN will air specially curated prime-time episodes to build momentum and introduce the final table competitors to a global audience. And the WSOP says it “aims to elevate the upcoming broadcast to the standards of major league sports.”

Known for innovative hits such as Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli (the ‘ManningCast’) and Netflix’s ‘Quarterback’ and ‘Receiver’, the award-winning Omaha Productions has been appointed to “apply its signature storytelling lens to the poker table” for the WSOP shows.

Perfect Timing for Poker’s Premium Competition

Announcing the news, Ty Stewart, CEO of the WSOP, said: “The World Series of Poker is a global phenomenon that transcends the gaming category, and our goal is to bring it to the widest possible audience.”

“Returning to ESPN – the home of our most iconic moments since 1987 – allows us to showcase the human drama of the Main Event like never before. With our new ownership’s commitment to growth, this is the perfect time to bring the ‘World Championship’ back to the biggest stage in sports.”

Ashley O’Connor, Vice President, Programming & Acquisitions at ESPN, added: “Poker is filled with unexpected storylines, and nobody is better equipped to showcase the stories that unfold throughout a tournament more than ESPN. Bringing the WSOP back reflects our continued commitment to delivering premium competition and that connects with fans in new and exciting ways.”

ESPN Is a Reoccurring WSOP Broadcasting Platform

The earliest filming of the World Series was a ‘special’ produced by Binion’s Horseshoe in 1973 and narrated by Jimmy’ The Greek’ Snyder. It and later years were broadcast as edited highlight shows on CBS.

ESPN first televised the WSOP Main Event in 1978 and remained a regular broadcaster for 20 years. Its coverage featured in the cult 1998 poker movie Rounders and helped fuel the global poker boom.

From 1999 to 2001, the World Series of Poker was broadcast by The Discovery Channel before ESPN regained the TV rights in 2002. Its coverage continued year on year until 2021, when CBS Sports picked up the baton once again.