Irish Poker Open 2026 vs WSOP Europe 2026: Which Poker Festival Should You Attend?

Irish Poker Open 2026 in Dublin

The Irish Poker Open isn’t particularly like any other live poker event; it gives you so much more than that. A whopping 85+ tournaments across twelve days of pure madness, and a total of 53 trophies will be handed out! Anyone who’s been to the Irish Open already can agree on this.

Not only is the number of tournaments a reason to head over to Dublin, but we haven’t even mentioned the cash game action! There is a separate room available for cash games, and there are so many tables you’d think they couldn’t all be used—but you’d be wrong!

It’s like the Irish Open slogan goes:

And if you are not aware yet what craic is, trust me, you’ll find out as soon as you enter the Royal Dublin Society!

Irish Poker Open 2026 Tournament Highlights

New Tournament Formats at the Irish Poker Open 2026

New formats are endless this year, with some really spicy tournaments. Take, for example, multiple tournaments for Deaf poker players. It’s awesome to see that the Irish Open is giving this crowd a place to play the game they love. They have expanded the number of tournaments even more this year.

Then there will be a Sviten Special Championship, a Cuatro PLO Bounty High Roller, and multiple Flip & Go tournaments where you flip yourself into the final day. There’s also a Kings and Queens tournament where male and female players have separate opening flights, and the Old Dogs and Young Puppies tournament, where the younger and older generations have their own opening flights.

• Check out the full tournament schedule here!

The Craic Den: Irish Poker Open Nightlife & Entertainment

For many Irish Open players, the poker tables are just a warm-up act for what really matters: The Craic.

The Irish Open, award-winning in its kind, has built a global reputation not just on world-class poker but on unforgettable nights fuelled by live music, outrageous games, and the kind of stories that grow taller with every retelling.

At the centre of it all sits The Craic Den, the heart of the Irish Open. PokerListings witnessed what The Craic Den stands for last year when we were live covering the 2025 edition.

The Craic Den will keep the party rolling into the early hours. Live bands, comedy, karaoke, beer pong, cornhole, and so much more. They also came up with The Quid Game and Balls in the Air, whatever that means! You certainly don’t want to miss this when you are at the Irish Open.

For the football fans: Ireland will play their World Cup play-off game against the Czech Republic on March 26, and of course, it will be showcased in The Craic Den as well, accompanied by some competitions as well. If you are in still in a tournament at that time, no worries, it will be showed in the tournament area as well!

World Series of Poker Europe 2026 in Prague

The World Series of Poker isn’t wasting time reshaping its legacy. The WSOP Europe finally decided it was the right time to move to Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic,

Many players, including Mustapha Kanit, expressed their concerns through social media before, and it seems that the WSOP Europe listened this time. On top of that, they rescheduled their dates, as it was usually held closer to the end of the year rather than the beginning.

This shift of venues instantly changes the feel of the series, turning WSOP Europe into the opening chapter of a global WSOP season rather than the late-year finale. Back in familiar surroundings in Prague, players can expect packed rooms, international fields, and a whopping 13 straight days of bracelet-chasing competition.

Now that the WSOPE is being held in the spring, it will directly connect with the main World Series of Poker event in Las Vegas, the pinnacle and most legendary poker event in the world.

With this being said, we think that the organisation of the WSOP came to the conclusion that European players were not showing up in great numbers over the past years. Hence, the idea of trying to attract them with this massive change in their schedule.

We’re still not sure about that yet, because the initial issue why, for example, Dutch players refrain from going to Las Vegas, is about taxes, and taxes only.

WSOP Europe 2026 Tournament Highlights & Schedule

The WSOP Europe will guarantee the largest-ever prize pool for a tournament in Europe, set at a whopping €10,000,000. You’ve got to agree, this is wild!

It kind of suits the World Series of Poker as well, especially now that it’s taken over by GGPoker. It’s not just the guarantee that’s been amended; the buy-in has also been set to €5,300 instead of €10,350, which it was in previous editions.

Prague: A Change of Czech Scenery

Prague is a city of many faces, but literally any of these faces is absolutely beautiful. The city breathes charisma, and there is something to do for everyone. This was perhaps one of the main reasons why better-known players left it aside over the last couple of years, as the event was held in Rozvadov, which is basically Las Vegas in Europe, but just a tiny bit on the smaller side.

Not only are epic prize pools guaranteed at the WSOP, but also an international crowd. We are certain that the event, usually dominated by German and Eastern European players, will now be accompanied by many players from Asia, the US, and beyond.

Let’s be honest here: who wants to miss out on a guaranteed prize pool like this with 15 golden bracelets on top of it?

• Check out the full tournament schedule here!

Irish Poker Open vs WSOP Europe 2026: Our Opinion

There is not much to add from our side, to be honest. The Irish Open is widely known for being the most entertaining live event of the season, and it’s truly a bucket-list experience. Meanwhile, the WSOPE is an event with incredibly large guarantees that simply can’t go unnoticed.

We’ve seen it before: two major events colliding and raising concerns about logistics. Well, we’ll tell you this—every dealer in Europe is going to be occupied during this period, that’s for sure.

The numbers at both events are potentially going to be smashed across the board. So wherever you go, set your priorities:

Do you want a schedule outside of poker that gives you the time of your life?

Or do you want to follow the money and explore the beautiful city of Prague alongside it?