International Participation Climbs Again in WSOP 2026 Main Event

The 2026 WSOP Main Event attracted 9,208 players, making it the fourth consecutive year that the tournament surpassed the 9,000-player mark, and ultimately the fourth-largest Main Event of all time.

While the overall field was smaller than both 2025 (9,735) and the record-setting 2024 (10,112), the demographic trends paint an even more interesting picture.

Last year, the biggest story was the decline in the English-speaking countries: USA, Canada, and the UK, offset by growth from continental Europe and Asia. The 2026 numbers suggest that many of those trends have continued.

According to statistics shared by WSOP exclusively to pokerfuse, the Main Event became more geographically diverse than ever before, attracting players from 111 countries, while female participation reached another modern-era high.

From a record number of countries represented to another increase in female participation, here’s what the 2026 WSOP Main Event player breakdown reveals.

A Smaller Field, But More International Than Ever

At first glance, the Main Event appears to have become less international simply because attendance declined. Instead, the opposite happened.

Players from 111 countries entered the WSOP 2026 Main Event, surpassing last year’s 103 and the previous high of 108 recorded in 2024. While total entries fell by more than 500 players, the $10K Main Event welcomed competitors from more countries than ever before.

International participation fell from 3,757 players in 2025 to 3,574 this year, reflecting the overall decline in Main Event attendance. However, because US participation also declined, international players represented 38.8% of the field, the highest proportion in the last three years.

The numbers suggest that while the Main Event has become slightly smaller, its player pool continues to become more internationally balanced.

US, Canada and UK Continue to Decline

American participation declined for a second straight year, dropping from 5,978 players in 2025 to 5,634 in 2026, a decrease of nearly 6%. Compared to the record-setting 2024 Main Event, the US has now lost more than 1,100 entrants in two years.

The home nation accounted for 61.2% of the field, virtually unchanged from 61.4% last year but well below the 66.7% recorded in 2024.

Canada recorded one of the biggest year-over-year declines among major markets, falling from 421 to 371 players. Compared to 2024, Canadian participation has now dropped by more than 100 entrants.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom slipped from 388 to 356 entrants, though in terms of representing the field, it is almost in line with last year.

Countries in Decline

• USA: 5,978 in 2025 → 5,634 in 2026 (down 5.8%)
• Canada: 421 → 371 (down 11.9%)
• UK: 388 → 356 (down 8.2%)

France Holds Fourth, Japan Continues to Rise

While overall entries declined, participation from many non-English-speaking countries remained remarkably stable. For the second consecutive year, France ranked as the largest non-English-speaking contingent at the Main Event. Its participation increased slightly from 292 players in 2025 to 296 this year, even as the overall field shrank by more than 500 entrants.

Japan also continued its impressive growth, rising from 217 to 222 players to remain the fifth-largest international market.

One of the biggest movers this year was Israel, climbing from 124 players to 154, moving ahead of Germany and into eighth place overall. Spain also saw an increase in participation, from 141 to 148 this year.

China (169) and Brazil (172) both dipped slightly in raw numbers, but broadly maintained their representation.

Countries on the Rise

• France: 296 entries in 2026, up from 292 in 2025 despite the smaller field
• Japan: 222 entries, up from 217, continuing its steady growth
• Israel: 154 entries, up from 124 — a 24.2% increase, the biggest gain among the top 10 countries
• Spain: 148 entries, up from 141 (5% increase)

One important caveat remains. The 2024 data was based on players’ country of residence, while both 2025 and 2026 classify players by passport nationality, making comparisons with 2024 imperfect. For most countries, the difference is believed to be minimal, with Austria being the primary exception because many professional players reside there while retaining citizenship elsewhere.

WSOP Main Event Top 10 Countries 2026

California Still Leads; Florida Grows While New York Rebounds

California once again produced the largest number of Main Event entrants in the US with 965 players, virtually unchanged from 959 last year.

Florida posted one of the biggest gains among major poker states, increasing from 610 to 634 entrants, while Texas remained almost identical at 479 players.

Nevada, the home state of WSOP, however, saw participation fall from 773 to 738, and New York partially recovered after a sharp decline last year, increasing from 370 to 403 entrants.

Further down the rankings, Pennsylvania returned to the top ten, replacing Ohio, while Washington retained its place among the largest contributors.

Looking at each state’s share of the US player pool, California remained remarkably stable at around 17%, while Florida and New York both increased their share slightly despite the overall decline in American participation.

WSOP Main Event US Participation by States (2025 vs 2026)

Female Participation Reaches Another High

Female participation continued to move in the right direction. The 2026 WSOP Main Event attracted 431 women, up from 369 last year, representing 4.68% of the total field compared with 3.79% in 2025.

The increase marks another encouraging step for women in poker and a tournament where female participation has historically remained below 5%.

Unlike last year’s dataset, which included 922 players listed with an undefined gender, this year’s figures provide a much clearer picture, making year-over-year comparisons more meaningful.

While women remain significantly underrepresented in the Main Event, the broader trend appears positive. As poker journalist Jennifer Newell has previously noted, many women entering the WSOP prefer spreading a $10,000 bankroll across multiple lower buy-in events rather than committing it to a single tournament. The Main Event’s demanding schedule may also be a barrier for some players with family or work commitments.

Meanwhile, the WSOP Ladies Championship has continued to attract record-breaking fields, reaching another all-time high this year, suggesting female participation across the series continues to grow.

The Bigger Picture

Although the Main Event attracted 527 fewer players than last year, the demographic data suggests poker’s biggest tournament continues to become increasingly international.

Players from a record 111 countries took part, France strengthened its position as the leading non-English-speaking nation, Japan continued its steady rise, and Israel recorded one of the largest increases among the top countries represented.

At the same time, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom all continued to lose players year over year, reinforcing a trend that first emerged in 2025.

Perhaps most encouragingly, female participation reached another modern-era high, offering another positive sign that the Main Event’s player pool is slowly becoming more diverse even as overall attendance fluctuates.

• 🌍 111 countries represented, up from 103 in 2025
• 🌎 International players made up 38.8% of the field, the highest share in the past three years
• 👩 Female participation reached 431 players (4.68%), up from 369 (3.79%) last year
• 🇺🇸 California remained the largest U.S. contributor with 965 entrants, while Florida and New York both increased their numbers year over year