Following weeks of speculation regarding the 2026 WSOP Main Event and where to watch the WSOP, the Series announced a new historic agreement with ESPN.
The multi-year deal with the popular network will see a return of the Main Event to ESPN for the first time since 2020. The announcement hinted at a new and improved production that could make the Main Event the best poker show of the entire year.
The same announcement also gave us a clear insight into this year’s WSOP Main Event schedule, which will start with Day 1A on July 2, while the final table will play out from August 3-5, with a 20-day waiting period between Day 8 and the final table.
WSOP CEO Ty Stewart commented: “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.”
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Making the WSOP Main Event Great Again
The WSOP Main Event has been the biggest live poker tournament in the world for decades, and its popularity has only kept on growing over the years.
Chris Moneymaker’s historic victory in this tournament launched the Poker Boom back in 2003, and the game has never been the same since.
Following a period of stagnation and experiments like the November Nine, the Main Event went through a number of stages. In recent years, the event has been crushing its own records, reaching new attendance highs and attracting players from all corners of the globe.
Under new ownership by the NSUS Group, the owners of GGPoker, the WSOP Main Event is entering a brand new stage. The return to ESPN is a major part of that transition, as the Series looks to push the Main Event over the edge and reach the next level.
For poker fans who have been staying current on the WSOP since the Moneymaker days, this move will mark a return to the roots and a welcome change, as they reminisce about the legendary Main Event productions with the likes of Lon McEachren and Norman Chad in leading roles.
For the younger generations, the Main Event production on ESPN will be a new experience, and one that could encourage many young players to join the game and set out on their own path of one day playing in the world’s most prestigious poker tournament.
New and Improved Main Event Production
WSOP announced its renewed partnership with ESPN via a press release, which detailed some of the provisions of the new deal.
The multi-year agreement starts this year and will see ESPN provide comprehensive coverage of the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship, better known as the WSOP Main Event.
The agreement with ESPN signals the new ownership’s interest in broadcasting poker to mainstream audiences and providing the high-end storytelling that used to be such a big part of previous ESPN coverages of the Main Event.
To elevate the production to the next level, the WSOP has engaged award-winning Omaha Productions, which will be in charge of bringing its recognizable storytelling style to the Main Event coverage.
With ESPN and Omaha Productions working together to create over 100 hours of content each year, the Main Event coverage is about to become a whole lot more engaging than it has been in recent years.
“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:’ said Ashley O’Connor, Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions at ESPN.
Full Main Event Schedule Released
This year’s WSOP schedule was released several weeks ago, detailing the dates and formats of most of the 100 gold bracelet events scheduled for the summer.
One of the things that remained undisclosed was the exact WSOP Main Event dates, and this prompted waves of speculation throughout the poker world.
With WSOP’s most recent announcement, we now know that the Main Event will start on July 2, and play out with no breaks until July 13.
The Main Event final table, however, will only play out 20 days later, as the Series aims for the recognizable “cliffhanger” television format, giving the fans something to look forward to over a few weeks.
Final table action will start on Monday, August 3, while the eventual 2026 Poker World Champion will be crowned on Wednesday, August 5.
According to the deal between WSOP and ESPN, each day of the 2026 Main Event will get at least 6 hours of programming, with a total of more than 100 hours of content available to the fans by the end of the summer.
Here is a detailed look at the full 2026 Main Event schedule, from Day 1 to the final table:
| Date | Start Time | Day |
|---|---|---|
| July 2 | 11 AM | Day 1A |
| July 3 | 11 AM | Day 1B |
| July 4 | 11 AM | Day 1C |
| July 5 | 11 AM | Day 1D |
| July 6 | 11 AM | Day 2ABC |
| July 7 | 11 AM | Day 2D |
| July 8 | 11 AM | Day 3 |
| July 9 | 11 AM | Day 4 |
| July 10 | 11 AM | Day 5 |
| July 11 | 11 AM | Day 6 |
| July 12 | 11 AM | Day 7 |
| July 13 | 11 AM | Day 8 |
| Aug 3 | 6 PM | Final Table Day 1 |
| Aug 4 | 6 PM | Final Table Day 2 |
| Aug 5 | 6 PM | Final Table Day 3 |
