Last updated: February 18, 2026
Battle of Malta is a popular live poker festival taking place in Malta twice a year. The festival features affordable buy-ins and generous guarantees resulting in a large turnouts.
The Battle of Malta festival was established back in 2012, and for a long time, it took place only once a year. Starting in 2022, it expanded to feature two stops, one during spring/summer and another in autumn.
On this page, we bring you all the details about the upcoming festival, including the full Battle of Malta schedule, main event information, available satellites, and everything else that can help you better plan your next poker trip.
| Battle of Malta 2026 | |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | May 27 – June 3, 2026 |
| 💰Main Event GTD | €1,000,000 |
| 🏆Total number of events | 24 |
| 💻 Online Qualifiers | WPT Global |
2026 Battle of Malta Summer Edition Schedule
The summer edition of the 2026 Battle of Malta festival takes place May 27 — June 3 at Casino Malta, featuring a total of two dozen events. Staying true to its form, the festival features very affordable buy-ins.
The €600 Let the Battle Begin tournament represents the pinnacle of the 2026 BOM Summer edition, featuring a massive €1,000,000 guarantee.
| Dates | Event | Buy-In | GTD |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 28 – 29 | Mystery Bounty 'Siege of Malta’ | €300 | €100,000 |
| May 28 – June 3 | BOM 'Let The Battle Begin’ (Main Event) | €600 | €1,000,000 |
| May 28 | PLO4 | €250 | N/A |
| May 28 | Dark Knight | €200 | N/A |
| May 29 | H.O.R.S.E. | €250 | N/A |
| May 29 | NLH | €200 | N/A |
| May 29 | Hyper Turbo | €150 | N/A |
| May 30 | PLO4 | €200 | N/A |
| May 30 | NLH | €300 | N/A |
| May 30 | Hyper Turbo | €150 | N/A |
| May 31 | NLH Ultra Deep | €250 | N/A |
| May 31 | PLO4/5 Round Each | €250 | N/A |
| May 31 | Hyper Turbo | €150 | N/A |
| May 31 – June 1 | High Roller | €1,100 | €200,000 |
| June 1 | NLH | €150 | N/A |
| June 1 | Ladies Event | €150 | N/A |
| June 1 | NLH | €200 | N/A |
| June 1 | Hyper Turbo | €150 | N/A |
| June 2 | NLH | €300 | N/A |
| June 2 | PLO4 | €250 | N/A |
| June 2 | Side Event | TBA | N/A |
| June 2 | Dark Knight | €200 | N/A |
| June 2 | Hyper Turbo | €150 | N/A |
| June 3 | Side Event | TBA | N/A |
2026 Battle of Malta €1M GTD Main Event
Always looking to take things up a notch, the organizers have decided to up the guarantee for the Battle of Malta Main Event, making it an even €1,000,000.
The tournament, titled Let the Battle Begin, comes with a buy-in of €600 (€530+€70), which means it will need to attract quite a crowd to meet its promise. However, looking back at the numbers from previous years, this should not be a problem.
The Main Event features five starting flights, with the first one taking place on May 28. The tournament offers plenty of play, with a large starting stack and 40-minute levels during Day 1 flights, and 60-minute levels from Day 2 onward.
This year’s Let the Battle Begin event is looking to break the attendance record set last year. It is a tall order, as that tournament saw over 6,000 entries, resulting in a prize pool in excess of €2.5 million, but a hefty seven-figure guarantee should help.
Main Event Starting Flights
- Day 1A – Thursday, May 28
- Day 1B – Friday, May 29
- Day 1C – Saturday, May 30
- Day 1D – Saturday, May 30
- Day 1E – Sunday, May 31
Day 2 action commences on Sunday, May 31.
Other Battle of Malta Highlights
In addition to the Main Event, the summer edition of the 2026 Battle of Malta brings a nice variety of events to keep the players busy and entertained. Some of the tournaments that stand out are:
- €300 Siege of Malta Mystery Bounty with €100k GTD
- €1,100 High Roller with €200k GTD
- €150 Ladies Event
The festival also caters to players looking to test their skills in non-Hold’em variations. There is a H.O.R.S.E. event on the docket, as well as a couple of PLO4/PLO5 tournaments. These don’t have guarantees attached to them, as they are expected to be smaller events, but it’s always good to have options.
Battle of Malta Satellites
While there are no online satellites to the Battle of Malta running at this point in time, we expect that players will have ample opportunities to book their tickets to the Mediterranean island in the near future.
WPT Global was running satellites for the 2025 autumn festival, featuring a qualifying path starting at just $0.55 and leading up to $55 main satellites that were awarding Main Event packages. You could even win tickets to Step 1 qualifiers via freerolls.
We expect something similar this year, with satellites likely to go live sometime in late March or April.
Of course, there will be live satellites running around the clock once the festival gets underway in May. Live Mega Satellites will feature a €70 buy-in and will play out in the accumulator format, where players are awarded their seats in the target tournament when they reach a predetermined number of chips.
Battle of Malta FAQ
When does the 2026 Battle of Malta take place?
The summer edition of the 2026 Battle of Malta festival takes place May 27 — June 3, 2026, at Casino Malta.
What is the guarantee for the 2026 Battle of Malta Main Event?
The 2026 Battle of Malta Main Event (Let The Battle Begin) features a generous guarantee of €1,000,000.
Can I qualify for the Battle of Malta online?
There are currently no online qualifiers for the 2026 Battle of Malta, but we expect WPT Global to offer satellites for the Main Event. Stay tuned for more info.
How old do I have to be to play in the Battle of Malta?
You have to be 18 years or older to play poker in Malta.
What is the buy-in for the Battle of Malta Main Event?
The buy-in for the 2026 Battle of Malta Main Event is €600.