The World Series of Poker has announced an important addition to the highly anticipated WSOP Europe 2026 schedule. For the first time, the series in Prague will feature a Women’s Championship with a €1,000 buy-in, scheduled for April 4, 2026.
The Ladies Championship is expected to be one of the festival’s main attractions and could help drive strong turnout in Prague. The festival will culminate in the traditional WSOP Europe Main Event in Prague, with €10,000,000 guaranteed in prizes. This is one of the biggest headlines in world series of poker news for 2026.
According to Ty Stewart, CEO of the World Series of Poker: “As we enter a new era for WSOP Europe in Prague, it was essential that our schedule reflected the full spectrum of the poker community,” and added, “The Ladies Championship is always one of the most spirited and competitive environments of the summer in Las Vegas, and we are thrilled to bring that same energy and prestige to the heart of Europe. ”We want this to be the definitive Ladies Event on the continent.”
Prague Becomes the New Home of WSOP Europe
The 2026 World Series of Poker news cycle has already started strong, with WSOP Europe set for the Hilton Prague from March 31st to April 12th. This marks a historic change, as it will be the first time the brand’s main European festival takes place in Prague, following years in other cities and a long period in Rozvadov.
Ty Stewart, CEO of the WSOP, stated that the new venue represents a strategic move to elevate the event to one of the world’s leading poker festivals. He described the change as an “exciting rebirth of the World Series of Poker Europe in Prague,” with the ambition to strengthen the festival and increase its international relevance.
Prague was chosen for its accessibility, its status as a popular European tourist destination, and its ability to attract a larger, more diverse audience.
Additionally, moving the festival to spring (March/April) helps space out the global poker calendar and makes it easier for both recreational and pro players to plan around other major stops.
WSOP Europe 2026 Tournament Schedule
The 2026 WSOP Europe schedule includes 15 tournaments that award gold bracelets, maintaining the highest standard of prestige and competitiveness that defines the festival:
| Event | Event Format | Date |
| The Opener – NLH Mystery Bounty | Opening event with a Mystery Bounty system, in which eliminations result in randomly selected prizes of varying value | March 31 |
| Mixed PLO / PLO8 / Big O | Mixed-format Omaha tournament, alternating between Pot-Limit Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Big O | March 31 |
| COLOSSUS NLH | Traditional No-Limit Hold’em event with an affordable buy-in and a large number of participants | April 2 |
| PLOSSUS Bounty | Traditional No-Limit Hold’em event with an affordable buy-in and a large number of participants | April 3 |
| Main Event (€10M GTD) | The main tournament of the series, No-Limit Hold’em, with a guaranteed prize pool of €10 million | April 3 |
| Ladies Championship | Exclusive event for women, in No-Limit Hold’em, with a special bracelet | April 4 |
| Turbo Bounty NLH | Turbo Bounty NLH Fast-structured No-Limit Hold’em event with bounty payouts | April 5 |
| Monster Stack NLH | Event with a high starting stack, providing greater technical depth | April 6 |
| PLO European Championship | European Pot-Limit Omaha Championship, one of the most prestigious titles in the sport | April 6 |
| Rounder Cup (EU vs World) | A special event in a competitive format between teams from Europe and the rest of the world | April 7 |
| Super High Roller NLH | High buy-in tournament aimed at professional players and the international elite | April 8 |
| European Circuit Championship | A multi-million dollar event linked to the brand’s official circuit in Europe | April 8 |
| GGMillion$ High Roller | High Roller No-Limit Hold’em tournament with the structure and prestige of the main elite online poker event | April 9 |
| PLO Double Board Bomb Pot | A variant of Omaha with two boards and a guaranteed pot pre-flop | April 10 |
| The Closer Turbo Bounty | Fast-paced closing tournament of the series with bounty | April 10 |
The Tradition Behind the Ladies Championship
Although new to the WSOP Europe schedule, the Ladies Championship is not a recent invention in the World Series of Poker. The event began in 1977 with a symbolic buy-in of $100 and a field of 93 players, a record at the time for any WSOP tournament.
Originally played in Seven-Card Stud and later migrating to No-Limit Hold’em, the Ladies Championship has evolved over the decades, keeping pace with the professionalization of women’s poker. In 2025, the main edition of the tournament in Las Vegas registered 1,368 entries, the highest participation in the competition’s history, demonstrating a substantial increase in demand for women-exclusive events.
The event’s competitiveness has been elevated by remarkable achievements, such as Shiina Okamoto’s. By winning the bracelet in 2024 and successfully defending it in 2025, Okamoto became the first player in history to win the Ladies Championship consecutively.
Ladies Championship Rules and Eligibility
For the 2026 European edition, the WSOP confirmed that the Ladies Championship will be exclusively for women. Unlike in Las Vegas, where local laws require the acceptance of men as long as they pay ten times the entry fee, the Prague tournament will not make this exception.
The goal is to guarantee an exclusive space for women in high-level poker. Confirmed event information:
- Event Date: April 4
- Location: Hilton Prague
- Buy-in: €1,000
- Game Format: The tournament is played in the No-Limit Hold’em format, following standard TDA tournament rules.
- Winner receives: Prize money plus a WSOP gold bracelet
The Prestige of the Ladies Championship Bracelet
The Ladies’ Championship bracelet is more than a prize; the organization treats it as a “prestige jewel” with characteristics that technically distinguish it from other bracelets in the series.
While most side event bracelets follow a standard model, the Ladies’ bracelet features a unique design with a gemstone setting, making it a singular achievement in the world of poker.
Notable Names Confirmed for Prague
The Ladies Championship’s debut at the WSOP Europe in Prague is generating considerable anticipation, with prominent names officially confirmed by the organization. The women’s tournament is strategically integrated into the European schedule, attracting players with extensive experience, numerous titles, and international recognition.
Beyond being an exclusive event, it serves as a showcase for the current state of women’s poker: competitive, technically proficient, and increasingly global. The confirmed group combines champions from major circuits with personalities that broaden the sport’s reach, attracting diverse audiences and reinforcing its prominence.
Among the participants already announced are:
- Leo Margets (Spain): Champion of the $1,500 Closer at the 2021 World Series of Poker (Las Vegas), winning her first WSOP bracelet.
- Vanessa Kade (Canada): Champion of the Sunday Million 15th Anniversary (PokerStars, 2021), one of the largest online tournaments in history.
- Kitty Kuo (Taiwan): Runner-up in the WPT Rolling Thunder (World Poker Tour, 2018) and a frequent presence at final tables on the WPT circuit.
- Xuan Liu (Canada): Champion of the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series (2023), becoming the first woman to win an event in the series.
- Shiina Okamoto (Japan): Two-time champion of the $1,000 Ladies Championship at the WSOP in 2023 and 2024 (Las Vegas).
- Cecile Ticherfatine (France): Champion of the WSOP Circuit Marrakech Ladies Event (2022), with consistent results on the European circuit.
- Kasey Lyn Mills (United States): Champion of the WSOP Circuit Ladies Event (2022), solidifying her presence on the North American women’s circuit.
What This Means for WSOP Europe 2026
The inclusion of the Ladies Championship in the European schedule demonstrates the WSOP’s intent to transform Prague into a significant hub, fostering a true meeting point for diverse players.
By combining historic prize pools and the opportunity to win a bracelet at a strategic point in the season, the festival seamlessly integrates into the European circuit. It attracts a wide range of participants, from those pursuing their first major victory to established figures in the sport. The €10 million guaranteed in the Main Event and the 15 bracelets up for grabs confirm this momentum, solidifying the 2026 edition as one of the most significant stops on the world poker calendar.
