Irish Poker Open 2026: The Ultimate Player Guide
Last updated: January 6, 2026
The Irish Poker Open 2026 is one of the most spectacular poker festivals in Europe, with organizers confirming the return of this iconic event to the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) from March 26 to April 6, 2026. Known as the longest-running No-Limit Texas Hold’em tournament outside of Las Vegas, the Irish Open combines world-class poker with the unmatched spirit of Irish hospitality.
This year’s festival promises to be the biggest yet, with 86 events on the schedule — 17 more than in 2025 — along with record-breaking prize pools across headline tournaments.
Highlights include the €2,500,000 guaranteed Main Event and the €1,000,000 guaranteed Mini Irish Open.
The €1,000,000 guaranteed Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty will also make a return. It debuted in 2025 and became the biggest Mystery Bounty ever held in Ireland. New ladies events are also now scheduled, with a ladies championship, high roller, and a Kings & Queens tournament.
| Irish Poker Open 2026 | |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | March 26 to April 6, 2026 |
| ☘️ Location | Royal Dublin Society, Ireland |
| 💸 Highlight Event | €1,000,000 guaranteed Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty |
| 🎪 Irish Open Main Event | €1,000,000 guaranteed Mini Irish Open |
| 🤜🤛 Irish Open Online Qualifiers | Online qualifiers running on PokerStars, iPoker and Paddy Power. |
| 🔞 Age to Compete | 18+ |
Irish Open 2026 Overview
The Irish Poker Open 2026 is shaping up to be the biggest edition in its 46-year history, featuring:
- A record 86-event schedule
- €2.5 million guaranteed Main Event
- Popular side events like the Mini Irish Open and Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty
- Online qualifiers through PokerStars, iPoker, and Paddy Power Poker
Combining world-class poker with Irish hospitality and entertainment, the festival continues to honor its legacy while setting new records. For professionals, recreational players, and fans alike, the Irish Poker Open remains a highlight of the global poker calendar.
Irish Poker Open 2026 Schedule
| Dates | Event | Buy-In | GTD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 26 – 31 | Luxon Mystery Bounty | €1,150 | €1,000,000 |
| Mar 26 – 28 | Irish Open Deaf Championship | €200 | N/A |
| Mar 26 | Big O Championship | €350 | N/A |
| Mar 26 | Super Seniors Championships (60+ years) | €250 | N/A |
| Mar 26 – Apr 6 | Mini Irish Open | €250 | €1,000,000 |
| Mar 26 | Irish Open PLO Deaf Championship | €120 | N/A |
| Mar 27 | Sviten Special Championship | €350 | N/A |
| Mar 27 – 28 | Cuatro PLO High Roller 8-Max | €3,000 | N/A |
| Mar 27 – 28 | APAT Championship | €250 | N/A |
| Mar 27 | Irish Open NLH Deaf Championship | €120 | N/A |
| Mar 27 | Flutter Invitational Tournament | €0 | N/A |
| Mar 28 | PLO 7-Max | €1,150 | N/A |
| Mar 28 | Irish Open Deaf Mystery Bounty | €150 | N/A |
| Mar 28 – 29 | Mixed 8-Game Championship | €350 | N/A |
| Mar 29 – Apr 6 | Irish Open Main Event | €1,150 | €2,500,000 |
| Mar 29 – 30 | HORSE Championship | €350 | N/A |
| Mar 29 | Irish Open Deaf High Roller | €250 | N/A |
| Mar 29 – 30 | Cuatro NLHE High Roller 8-Max | €3,000 | N/A |
| Mar 29 – 30 | Kings and Queens | €250 | N/A |
| Mar 29 – 30 | Flip and Go | €115 | N/A |
| Mar 30 | Deuce to Seven Single Draw Championship | €350 | N/A |
| Mar 30 – 31 | NLH 6-Max Championship | €350 | N/A |
| Mar 30 – 31 | PLO High Roller 8-Max | €5,000 | N/A |
| Mar 30 – 31 | NLH 8-Max | €1,150 | N/A |
| Mar 31 – Apr 1 | Mixed 8-Game Championship High Roller | €1,150 | N/A |
| Mar 31 – Apr 1 | Irish Open NLH Heads-Up Championship | €350 | N/A |
| Mar 31 – Apr 1 | The Hendon Mob Championship | €350 | N/A |
| Mar 31 – Apr 1 | NLH High Roller 8-Max | €5,000 | N/A |
| Mar 31 – Apr 1 | PLO 8-Max | €1,150 | N/A |
| Apr 1 | OFC Pineapple Championship | €350 | N/A |
| Apr 1 – 2 | NLH Super High Roller 8-Max | €10,000 | N/A |
| Apr 1 – 2 | America’s Cup | €350 | N/A |
| Apr 1 – 2 | PLO 6-Max Championship | €350 | N/A |
| Apr 1 – 2 | Flip and Go | €115 | N/A |
| Apr 2 – 3 | Ladies Championship | €250 | N/A |
| Apr 2 | NLH Mystery Bounty | €550 | N/A |
| Apr 2 – 3 | Seniors High Roller Championship (50+ years) | €1,150 | N/A |
| Apr 3 | Shoot-out Championship | €550 | N/A |
| Apr 3 | PLO 5 Card | €550 | N/A |
| Apr 4 – 5 | JP Poker Masters | €550 | N/A |
| Apr 4 – 5 | High Roller 8-Max | €3,000 | N/A |
| Apr 4 – 5 | Old Dogs and Young Pups | €250 | N/A |
| Apr 4 – 5 | PLO Mystery Bounty 8-Max | €1,150 | N/A |
| Apr 5 – 6 | NLH Mystery Bounty | €1,150 | N/A |
| Apr 5 – 6 | Ladies High Roller Championship | €550 | N/A |
| Apr 5 | Seniors Championship | €350 | N/A |
| Apr 5 – 6 | Flip and Go | €115 | N/A |
| Apr 6 | Triathlon Championship | €350 | N/A |
| Apr 6 | PLO 6-Max | €550 | N/A |
| Apr 6 | NLH Turbo 8-Max | €1,150 | N/A |
| Apr 6 | Liam Flood Memorial | €350 | N/A |
| Apr 6 | NLH Turbo | €250 | N/A |
2026 Irish Poker Open Highlights
The 2026 schedule is stacked with a mix of returning favorites and exciting new formats designed to keep the action fierce from start to finish. Headline tournaments include:
Main Event: €2,500,000 Guaranteed
The crown jewel of the Irish Poker Open. In 2025, the Main Event drew 4,562 entries and generated a record-breaking €4,447,950 prize pool, making it the richest poker tournament ever held in Ireland. With an even bigger guarantee this year, expectations are high for another historic turnout.
Mini Irish Open: €1,000,000 Guaranteed
A fan-favorite event that delivers big value for a modest buy-in. The Mini Irish Open has become one of the most accessible ways for players to experience the thrill of a major international tournament.
Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty: €1,000,000 Guaranteed
Introduced at the Irish Poker Open 2025, this instantly became the largest Mystery Bounty tournament in Irish history. It returns in 2026 with a €1M guarantee and promises high drama as players hunt for massive bounties alongside tournament glory.
Ladies Events
Three ladies events will be on the schedule at this year’s Irish Open. A €250 Ladies Championship, €1,150 Ladies High Roller, which is brand new, and a Kings & Queens tournament where men and women are pitted against each other. More to come…
Side Events & Championships
The expanded schedule includes popular formats such as Pot Limit Omaha (PLO), High Roller events, Heads-Up Championships, Ladies Championship, Seniors Events, and mixed games. With 86 events in total, there’s something for every type of poker player.
The Craic Den
More than just poker, the festival is known for its legendary entertainment hub, the Craic Den, where players and fans gather nightly for live music, parties, and the famously warm Irish atmosphere.
Irish Poker Open Online Satellites & Partnerships
The Irish Open owes much of its international success to its key partnerships with PokerStars, Paddy Power, and the iPoker Network. These partners will once again offer extensive online qualification routes. In 2025, more than 1,300 players secured their seats through online satellites, many turning small buy-ins into chances at six-figure scores.
For 2026, online satellites are available on PokerStars and the iPoker network once again, giving players ample opportunities to win their seats in the Main Event, as well as other marquee tournaments.
“The Irish Open exemplifies the very best of live poker and offers an unforgettable experience,” Cedric Billot, Associate Director of Live Events at PokerStars said via press release. “Nothing beats the community spirit at this multi-award-winning festival, and we are looking forward to keeping the buzz going for 2026 and welcoming our numerous online qualifiers.”
Irish Poker Open 2026 Satellites on PokerStars
PokerStars is running several satellites to the Irish Poker Open Main Event every week. These satellites have a buy-in of €150 and each of them guarantees at least four €1,150 tickets.
As always, players with smaller bankrolls can build their way to the main satellites via lower buy-in feeders. If you have your mind set at playing in the Main Event, you can start trying for as low as €1.10.
You can find the list of all running and upcoming satellites by opening the PokerStars client, navigating to the 'Events’ tab, and clicking on Irish Poker Open in the list showing all upcoming PokerStars LIVE events. This will open a new lobby showing all available qualifiers.
Online Satellites on iPoker
The iPoker network is also offering satellites for the 2026 Irish Poker Open. Main qualifiers are two-day affairs, featuring a buy-in of €150, with Day 2s taking place on Sundays. These satellites guarantee at least ten packages worth €2,250 each.
Players looking to just win a seat can do so via €50 satellites, with one of these running every day. Plus, on iPoker, you’ll also find €10 satellites to the Mini Irish Open, which is a great option for Ireland online poker players looking to get in on a bit of a discount.
What Players Can Expect at the Irish Open 2026
The Irish Poker Open has always been more than a poker festival—it’s an experience steeped in tradition, camaraderie, and fun. In 2026, players can expect:
- Record-Breaking Numbers: With expanded guarantees and more events, organizers are aiming for the largest Irish Open in history.
- Festival Atmosphere: Daily entertainment, social events, and the Craic Den make the Irish Open as much about community as competition.
- Variety of Formats: From big-field freezeouts to niche formats like PLO and mixed games, the 2026 schedule caters to every playing style.
- Global Player Pool: Thousands of international players travel to Dublin each spring, making it one of the most diverse poker events in Europe.
Paul O’Reilly, one of the event’s long-time organizers, emphasized this tradition:
“The Irish Open has always been about more than just cards and chips — it’s a tradition, a gathering and a massive annual celebration of the game we all love. We’ve been breaking records every year and aim to make 2026 bigger and better than ever before.”
The History of the Irish Poker Open
The Irish Poker Open has a storied history dating back to 1980, when it was founded by bookmaker Terry Rogers. Inspired by the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, Rogers brought the format to Dublin, creating a unique blend of competitive poker and Irish hospitality that has endured for over four decades.
Key moments in its history include:
- First Major European No-Limit Hold’em Event: The Irish Open was the first of its kind outside of Las Vegas.
- Attracting Legends: The festival has welcomed poker greats such as Doyle Brunson, Stu Ungar, and Phil Hellmuth over the years.
- A Growing Legacy: From modest beginnings, the event has grown into a festival with tens of thousands of entries and multi-million-euro prize pools.
Today, the Irish Poker Open remains Europe’s oldest poker festival and one of the continent’s most prestigious poker traditions.
Looking Back: The 2025 Irish Poker Open
The 2025 festival set a new benchmark for live poker in Ireland:
- 69 events on schedule
- 25,000+ entries across the series
- €14.5 Million+ in total prize pools
- Record main event: 4,562 entries, €4,447,950 prize pool
In addition to record-breaking fields, the festival collected accolades, including:
- Best Stand-Alone Festival at the Global Poker Awards (Feb 2025)
- Best Live Poker Event at the SiGMA Awards (Sept 2025)
The introduction of the Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty and record numbers in the Main Event solidified the Irish Open’s reputation as a must-play global poker festival.
Irish Open FAQ 2026
When will the Irish Poker Open run in 2026?
The Irish Poker Open in partnership with PokerStars and PaddyPower returns March 26 to April 6, 2026.
Where is the IPO being held in 2026?
The Irish Poker Open is being held at Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, Ireland.
Does the Irish Poker Open return to Dublin next year?
Yes, it does! The festival will run March 26 to April 6, 2026.
Can I qualify online to the IPO 2026?
Yes, you can! Online qualifiers are running at PokerStars and iPoker, starting as low as €1.
Who is sponsoring the Irish Poker Open 2026?
PokerStars and Paddy Power are once again supporting the IPO with headline sponsorship for 2026.
Can I win my way to the Irish Poker Open 2026?
Online satellites and qualifying routes are available on PokerStars, Paddy Power, and iPoker sites.
Will there be packages given away to the 2026 IPO?
Packages to the IPO will be given away on PokerStars, Paddy Power, and across the iPoker Network.