Become a world champion: WCOOP 2026 at PokerStars from September 6 to 30

World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) 2026 will take place on PokerStars from September 6 to 30. Over 120 tournaments and hundreds of chances to become an online poker world champion.

From September 6 to 30, 2026, PokerStars will host the next edition of the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP)—one of the most prestigious online poker tournament series. This year, the festival will offer players 121 tournaments in three buy-in categories: Low, Medium, and High, providing hundreds of chances to win the title of online poker world champion. In total, at least 350 players will be able to add the world champion title to their nickname, joining the elite community of WCOOP winners. WCOOP: 25 Years of History and Legendary Champions For a quarter of a century, the World Championship of Online Poker has remained the main event in the world of online tournament poker. Every WCOOP titleholder joins an elite club that already includes renowned masters such as Benny "RunGodLike" Glaser, Joao "Naza114" Vieira, Patrick "pads1161" Leonard, and Niklas "Lena900" Astedt. These names top the historical WCOOP rankings and symbolize the highest level of skill and consistency in online poker. However, every September brings new success stories: players from all over the world, regardless of experience or bankroll, get the chance to become a WCOOP champion for the first time in their lives. As Steve Clarricoats, Associate Director of Online Tournaments at PokerStars, notes, winning WCOOP is not just about the prize money—it's about becoming part of poker history. For professionals, it is one of the most significant titles in their careers, and for amateurs, it is the fulfillment of a dream. Accessible for Any Bankroll: Formats and Buy-ins One of the main features of WCOOP is its accessibility for players with any bankroll size. In 2026, buy-ins start at just $5.50 and go up to $25,000, allowing both beginners and high-level professionals to take part. The schedule includes tournaments in a wide variety of poker formats: No-Limit Hold'em (NLHE) — the most popular poker format, with no betting limits. Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) — a poker variant with four hole cards and a pot-limit betting structure. 8-Game — a mixed format featuring eight different poker disciplines. HORSE — another mixed format combining five poker variants: Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Seven Card Stud, and Seven Card Stud Eight or Better. Progressive Knockout (PKO) — tournaments with progressive bounties, where players earn cash rewards for knocking out opponents. Mystery Bounty — a format with mystery bounties, where the bounty amount is revealed only after a player is eliminated. Triple Draw — a draw poker variant where players can exchange cards up to three times. This way, everyone can find a tournament to suit their taste and skill level. Main Events of the Series: Championship Tournament Schedule The highlight of WCOOP is traditionally the official championship tournaments, including the Main Events—the main events of the series, which will take place on September 27 and 28. The guaranteed prize pool for the six Main Events will exceed $6.5 million. In addition to the main tournaments, the schedule includes championships in various disciplines: $5,200 NLHE 6-Max Championship — September 6 $1,050 HORSE Championship — September 7 $1,050 Razz Championship — September 10 $1,050 NLHE PKO Championship — September 13 $1,050 Triple Draw Championship — September 15 $1,050 PLO8 Championship — September 17 $215 Women's NLHE Championship — September 20 $2,100 8-Game Championship — September 24 Additionally, world champion titles will be awarded in 6-Max, HORSE, Razz, Triple Draw, PLO8, PKO, 8-Game, and Women's formats. Each of these tournaments offers a chance to make WCOOP history and compete for major cash prizes. How to Qualify for WCOOP: Satellites and Promotions PokerStars traditionally offers many ways to qualify for WCOOP, even for those not ready to pay the full buy-in. Satellite tournaments start at $0.55, making participation accessible to almost everyone. There are also special WCOOP-themed Spin & Go tournaments, where for $0.75 you can win tickets to major series events. As part of the WCOOP Lucky Dip promotion, $500,000 in tournament tickets will be given away among festival participants. Another promotion—Power Path Express, a special WCOOP edition—will award over $175,000 in tickets and Main Event packages. Additionally, throughout the series, there will be a leaderboard with a $100,000 prize pool, distributed among the best players in the Low, Medium, and High categories, as well as the overall top performers of the series. The History of WCOOP and the Importance of the Title Winning any WCOOP tournament means not only a significant cash prize but also worldwide recognition. Over its 25-year history, the series has become a symbol of the highest level of online poker, and the WCOOP champion title is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the industry. Every year, new names are added to the list of winners, and for many players, it becomes the highlight of their poker career. As PokerStars management notes, WCOOP is not just a series of tournaments, but a unique opportunity for players of all levels to test themselves against the world's best and forever inscribe their name in poker history. WCOOP 2026 Championship Tournament Table Tournament Date Buy-in NLHE 6-Max Championship September 6 $5,200 HORSE Championship September 7 $1,050 Razz Championship September 10 $1,050 NLHE PKO Championship September 13 $1,050 Triple Draw Championship September 15 $1,050 PLO8 Championship September 17 $1,050 Women's NLHE Championship September 20 $215 8-Game Championship September 24 $2,100 Main Events (6 tournaments) September 27-28 Guarantee $6,500,000+ What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, the news about the scale and structure of WCOOP can be a great source of inspiration and useful information. First, the WCOOP schedule clearly demonstrates how diverse tournament formats can be: in addition to the familiar NLHE, there are many mixed and exotic disciplines. This is a reason to expand your game arsenal and try new formats, which can also be implemented in PPPoker club leagues. Second, the policy of affordable buy-ins and the developed satellite system on PokerStars shows that even with a minimal bankroll, you can compete for big prizes. Similar qualification mechanics are often used in PPPoker clubs: don't miss the chance to participate in qualifiers and promotions to get into more expensive events without significant expenses. Finally, leaderboards and the series rewards system are an excellent example for organizing your own club series and rewarding the most active and successful players. Stay tuned for updates, adopt best practices, and use the WCOOP experience to develop your own poker skills and advance in PPPoker clubs!