WPF Ladies Weekend Draws Women Together Across the Globe

15+ Cities, 10 Countries, One Purpose

The WPF Ladies Weekend was far from a home game. Events were hosted in 10 countries, including Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, South Africa, Taiwan, the United States, and Belgium where local poker communities collaborated with the WPF to run each stop.

The Brazil stop, the largest of the bunch, was held at the renowned H2 Poker Club in São Paulo. More than 500 women from 15 Brazilian states joined, contributing to over 900 entries and nearly doubling the original prize pool guarantee. Meanwhile, the Taiwan leg welcomed around 120 players, while Belgium clocked nearly 300 entries.

The US stop was comprised of multiple stops across state lines, including California, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Mississippi, and Texas. Together, they welcomed over 800 women nationwide. Many of these events also didn’t remain just on the felt. They hosted panels, networking events, and workshops tailored to empower, educate, and connect women in poker.

So, while the shared tournament structure was the selling point, each stop added a little something of its own to the poker weekend. In Colombia for example, the weekend included a panel discussion on women’s representation in poker. Other locations hosted leadership talks, training sessions, and cultural initiatives.

According to Luana Borges, President of the WPF Women’s Committee, this kind of structure was intentional.

Familiar Faces and Some Local Heroes

There were also a few familiar (and famous) faces in the WPF Ladies Weekend crowd. Taiwan, one of the largest stops of the weekend, welcomed two-time WSOP Ladies Event champion Shiina Okamoto, whose back-to-back victories in 2024 and 2025 are the stuff of legend in Asia.

PokerStars Team Pro Lauriê “Lali” Tournier was at on the other side of the globe, joining the event at São Paulo. And in the United States, Kasey Lyn Mills, a rising talent with three WSOP Circuit rings (for now) added another victory to her résumé by taking down the Texas stop.

The Committee Behind the WPF Ladies Weekend

The WPF Women’s Committee, which launched only earlier this year, is the driving force behind this movement. Their mandate is long-term: they’re planning to foster leadership, infrastructure, and year-round visibility for women in poker.

Lupe Soto, Director of Development and founder of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame, believes this is only the beginning.

Lupe Soto

Seeing women from all over the world come together to celebrate the game we love in a single weekend is truly inspiring. The WPF Ladies Weekend showcases the talent, leadership, and impact of women in poker, creating connections that will resonate far beyond the tables.

Soto isn’t far off with her statement. The World Poker Federation said plans are already in motion to expand the WPF Ladies Weekend in 2026, with more stops, new countries, and even a potential Grand Final. Whatever the future may hold, we hope it’s bright for women in poker and that we’re here to tell you about it.