February is here, which usually means one thing for the poker world: the full schedule for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) is just around the corner.
The 2026 WSOP will mark the 57th edition of the series and is set to run from May 26 to July 15 at the Horseshoe and Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
While WSOP officials have not yet confirmed an exact date for the release of the 2026 schedule, all signs point to it being imminent. Based on recent patterns, the reveal appears to be only days away, with next week shaping up as the most likely window.
Kevin Mathers, a trusted source for WSOP-related information and the longtime official WSOP Twitter voice during the summer series, suggested on X that he may have already had a look at the schedule.
There is also a recent precedent to support this timeline. Last year, Mathers revealed that he first saw the 2025 WSOP schedule on February 11, with the public announcement following six days later on February 17. If that pattern holds, a full schedule release sometime next week seems very likely.
The timing would also make sense from a sports calendar perspective. With the Super Bowl wrapping up on Sunday, a Monday or Tuesday reveal would give poker players plenty of time to digest the schedule and begin planning their summer in Las Vegas.
Historically, WSOP has leaned toward February for its schedule announcements. The 2025 schedule dropped on February 17, the 2024 edition on February 16, the 2023 schedule arrived earlier on February 2, while the 2022 reveal came later in the month on February 23. Taken together, February has clearly become the standard window.
WSOP Full Schedule Announcement Dates in Recent Years
2025: Feb 17
2024: Feb 16
2023: Feb 2
2022: Feb 23
2021: June 15 (series held in Autumn)
2020: Feb 27
2019: Jan 30
Another factor worth noting is how the schedule is now released. In earlier years, WSOP officials would tease the lineup in phases, highlighted events first, followed by additional marquee tournaments, then online bracelet events, and finally the full schedule.
Over the past three to four years, however, the trend has shifted toward a complete reveal all at once, with the online bracelet details sometimes arriving closer to the start of the series.
With the announcement now seemingly just days away, speculation has naturally turned to what the 2026 WSOP lineup might look like.
WSOP 2026 Schedule: What to Expect?
Last year’s WSOP featured 100 live bracelet events, and it would be no surprise if the 2026 series matches or exceeds that number. This is despite ongoing debate in the poker community about whether the growing number of bracelets risks diluting their prestige. The overall structure of the schedule is expected to closely resemble last year’s, though there could be some adjustments at the higher end of the buy-in spectrum.
In particular, high roller events may see some trimming. The recent reduction of the US gambling loss deduction cap from 100% to 90% has raised concerns among high-stakes players, and that shift could impact participation in the most expensive tournaments. As a result, WSOP may opt to scale back slightly on high rollers or adjust average buy-ins across the schedule.
At the same time, new events are almost certainly on the way. The 2025 schedule introduced half a dozen fresh formats, including TORSE, a Pot-Limit Omaha Double Board Bomb Pot event, a new high roller tournament, a $5,000 Super Turbo Bounty, and the Battle of the Ages. Expect a similar number of additions this year as WSOP continues to experiment with variety and innovation.
Re-entry structures are also likely to remain a major feature. Last year’s schedule leaned more heavily toward re-entries and fewer freezeout events, a trend that has been building for several years. That approach is expected to continue in 2026, though any changes are likely to be incremental rather than dramatic.
One area that will be closely watched is the Main Event. In previous years, WSOP typically announced the Main Event dates alongside the full series schedule. That was not the case for this year’s initial announcement, which left some room for speculation about possible adjustments. Even so, it would be surprising if the Main Event did not once again align with the July 4 holiday period, as it has traditionally done.
Online bracelet events will again return. The number is expected to fall somewhere between 25 and 35, running concurrently with the live series for players in Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. There is also an open question regarding the platform itself. WSOP’s software partnership with 888poker is set to expire this year, raising the possibility of a transition to GGPoker’s software. A short-term renewal with 888poker remains the most likely outcome, but the situation bears watching.
The WSOP Plus app will once again be front and center, with players encouraged to use it for registration and event management throughout the series. Its role has grown steadily, and 2026 should be no different.
One notable absence so far is the launch of online qualifiers for the 2026 Main Event. Neither WSOP Online for US online poker players nor GGPoker for international players has begun running satellites yet. That could change quickly once the full schedule is made public, as qualifiers typically follow soon after.
For now, it’s simply a waiting game. With just a few days to go, the WSOP 2026 full schedule appears poised to drop next week, possibly as early as February 9 or February 10, giving players their first complete look at what the summer in Las Vegas has in store.
