Battle of Malta will host an event in Barcelona in January 2027

The organizers of the Battle of Malta have announced a new stage of the series, which will take place at Casino Barcelona from January 20 to 24, 2027.

The organizers of one of the most renowned European poker series, Battle of Malta, have announced a new stop in Barcelona in January 2027. After the successful Battle of Slovakia at Card Casino Bratislava, the series is expanding its geography and entering the Spanish market, where the Battle of Malta Barcelona Edition will take place from January 20 to 24, 2027, at the famous Casino Barcelona. Battle of Malta: From Malta to Barcelona Battle of Malta is an annual poker festival traditionally held at Casino Malta and is considered one of the most popular events for poker enthusiasts and professionals in Europe. Casino Malta has long established itself as a venue that brings together thousands of players from around the world. Now, the series is reaching a new level by joining forces with Casino Barcelona—one of the most renowned poker venues in Europe, regularly hosting the largest and most prestigious live tournaments. The partnership between these two leading European casinos will not only expand the Battle of Malta audience but also offer players a new experience in the unique atmosphere of Barcelona. Organizers note that this is an important step in the brand’s development and its international expansion. Schedule and Structure of Battle of Malta Barcelona Edition The Main Event of the Battle of Malta Barcelona Edition is scheduled with a €600 buy-in. This is a relatively affordable amount for live tournaments of this level, which traditionally attracts a wide range of participants—from amateurs to experienced regulars. Each Main Event participant receives a starting stack of 40,000 chips, and blind levels for standard starting days last 40 minutes. The blinds at the first level are just 100/100, giving players 400 big blinds at the start of the tournament—excellent depth for strategic play. For those who prefer a more dynamic format, there is a turbo Day 1d: here, levels are reduced to 20 minutes. This allows players with limited time to try their luck without sacrificing the tournament structure. Detailed Structure of Main Event Day 1 Main Event Day 1 follows these rules: Starting stack: 40,000 chips (400 big blinds at the start) Blind levels: 40 minutes (20 minutes in Day 1d Turbo) 20-minute break after the 4th level After the 8th level—a 45-minute dinner break (except Day 1d Turbo, which has no dinner break) Late registration is open until the end of the 11th level; after that—a final 20-minute break Players registering at the last moment (start of the 12th level) receive 16 big blinds On standard Day 1s, play continues for three more levels after late registration and ends at approximately 1:45 AM On Day 1d Turbo, after the 7th level—20-minute break, day ends at 3:30 PM All players who advance to Day 2 will continue the battle on January 23 at 5:00 PM. Here, levels increase to 50 minutes, and the schedule includes 11 levels, after which the day ends at around 3:40 AM. The final day starts on January 24 at 4:00 PM; levels increase to 60 minutes, and play continues until a champion is determined. For comparison, the current Autumn Edition of Battle of Malta with the same €600 buy-in attracted 5,368 entries and a prize pool of €2,413,281. The winner will receive €227,835. The Barcelona edition of the series is expected to generate no less interest, with a prize pool comparable to or even exceeding these figures. The organizers promise to announce details about online satellites soon, allowing players to qualify for the Main Event for a lower amount. Organizers’ Opinions: Casino Malta and Casino Barcelona Slawomir Switalski, CEO of Casino Malta, emphasized that expanding Battle of Malta to Barcelona is an important stage in the brand’s international growth strategy. According to him, the partnership with Casino Barcelona demonstrates the strength of the Battle of Malta brand and its commitment to hosting the festival at Europe’s leading poker venues. Switalski noted that the collaboration will create new opportunities for players and partners and further strengthen Casino Malta’s position as one of the leaders in the European poker industry. Xavier Ballena, CEO of Casino Barcelona, expressed his delight at hosting Battle of Malta at their casino and joining forces with Casino Malta. He noted that Battle of Malta is one of the most renowned poker festivals in Europe, enjoying an excellent reputation among both players and the industry as a whole. According to Ballena, hosting the Barcelona stop is another important step towards strengthening Casino Barcelona’s status as a leading venue for major international poker events. He added that the team is looking forward to hosting the first Barcelona edition at the highest level and providing players with first-class service. Context: What Is Known About the Series and Venues Battle of Malta is a series that, over the years of being held in Malta, has become synonymous with large-scale live poker featuring affordable buy-ins and large prize pools. Casino Malta is the largest casino in Malta, regularly welcoming thousands of players to its festivals. Casino Barcelona, in turn, is a legendary Spanish venue that has hosted such iconic series as the European Poker Tour (EPT). The collaboration of these two top casinos promises to take Battle of Malta to a new level, making it even more attractive to players from all over Europe. The organizers are betting on a combination of accessibility (€600 buy-in), deep structure (400 big blinds at the start), and a high level of organization. This attracts both recreational players and professionals who value a quality structure and large prizes. Comparison with Other Battle of Malta Stops To assess the scale of the upcoming event, one can look at the statistics from the current Autumn Edition of Battle of Malta, where the same €600 buy-in saw 5,368 entries. The total prize pool was €2,413,281, and the winner will receive €227,835. This confirms the series’ high popularity and its ability to attract impressive fields even with a relatively affordable entry. The Barcelona edition of Battle of Malta is expected to attract no fewer participants, given the prestige of the venue and the city’s developed poker infrastructure. Additional interest will be generated by online satellites, which will allow players to qualify for the Main Event for a fraction of the buy-in cost. Prize Pool Table and Statistics (Autumn Edition Data) Total entries: 5,368 Prize pool: €2,413,281 First place prize: €227,835 Buy-in: €600 A detailed payout table and prize distribution by place will be published closer to the tournament date and after registration is complete. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this news opens up several important opportunities. First, the expansion of Battle of Malta to Barcelona signals growing interest in accessible live tournaments with large prize pools. Players can look to such formats when choosing their home and online tournaments, and use the experience of participating in online satellites as a stepping stone to major live events. Second, the deep structure of the Main Event (400 big blinds at the start, gradual blind increases) is an excellent example for club tournaments where players want to maximize playing time and decision-making space. Clubs can adopt best practices in tournament structure, making their events more attractive to different categories of players. Finally, the collaboration of leading European casinos shows that even traditional live series are actively integrating online qualifiers and flexible entry formats. This means PPPoker players can not only hone their skills in online clubs but also realistically aim to participate in the largest offline events in Europe through satellites. Stay tuned for announcements: qualifications for the Battle of Malta Barcelona Edition may soon be available in your country.