WSOPE Goes to Prague, Creating a 2026 European Poker Clash

by Roy Brindley, 16 October 2025

World Series of Poker Europe gets a new venue and calendar slot, meaning it will clash with the Irish Poker Open.

The chips are down: Two major European poker events will go head-to-head in April.

Key Facts:

• The World Series of Poker Europe will move to Prague in 2026.
• Popular but stagnating event has a new slot on the poker calendar.
• Critics say the date change is a declaration of war.
• Prospering Irish Poker Open has more events than ever planned for 2026.

WSOP officials have announced that Hilton Prague will stage the 2026 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE). The move ends a seven-year residency in Kings Casino, Rozvadov, Czechia. London, Cannes, and Enghien-les-Bains, both in France and Berlin, are other cities that hosted the event.

In addition to the 17th edition of WSOPE heading to a new venue, the series will also move to an earlier slot on the calendar. Traditionally staged in October, WSOPE 2026 is set to take place between March 31 and April 12.

“It’s an exciting rebirth of the World Series of Poker Europe in Prague,” said Ty Stewart, CEO of WSOP, when announcing the changes. “We have a big ambition to elevate this festival to one of the very best in the world and look forward to welcoming players to a great poker city next April.”

Can There Be a Winner in Poker War?

The complete WSOPE 2026 schedule has yet to be announced. Organisers have stated the event will feature 15 gold bracelet events. A week ago, Germany’s Daniel-Gai Pidun landed 2025’s WSOPE Main Event, ahead of 496 rival players, to collect a €1,140,000 prize.

A slot before the 2026 Las Vegas World Series of Poker and the change of venue may prove to be a needed shot in the arm for the WSOPE. Its Main Event in particular has suffered from declining numbers in recent years. There were 817 entries in 2023, 768 in 2024, and only 659 this year.

However, a move to April 2026 means a direct clash with the PokerStars-sponsored Irish Poker Open. Europe’s oldest and multi-award-winning poker event confirmed its 2026 dates two months ago.

WSOP’s decision to clash its European event with the established Irish Open can best be described as dubious. One observer described the move as “another declaration of war from a company that plonked its WSOP Paradise stop right on top of the EPT Prague and WPT World Championships in 2023.”

The Irish Poker Open’s Continued Growth

With a 45-year history, the Irish Poker Open, played in Dublin, is firmly established. Its Main Event entry has risen year-on-year since 2017, when it attracted 1,120 players.

In April, 2,483 players combined to take an additional 2,079 re-entries, generating a record-breaking €4,447,950 prize pool. Simon Wilson, a local 22-year-old Economics and Business student, took the competition’s €600,000 first prize.

For 2026, organisers have scheduled 86 tournaments. It is a significant increase on 2025’s 69 competitions. Once again, the PokerStars backed Main Event has a €2.5 million guaranteed purse. The Mini Irish Open and the Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty are both guaranteed to have a €1 million prize pool.