With all the activity in the tournament poker world, you would be remiss if you forgot that the 2026 European Poker Tour season is underway. That will be rectified this week as the crème of the European poker world goes to one of its favorite locations, the Casino Barcelona in Spain. The EPT Barcelona will be held between August 16 and August 29, with a plethora of tournaments and entertainment for those who will be participating in the festival.
Several Featured Tournaments on Schedule
As usual, the EPT will be bringing its Main Event, a €5,000 buy-in (€300 juice) tournament, to the Casino Barcelona beginning on August 22. What has become almost as popular as the Main is the PokerStars Open Main Event, allowing players to take a shot at a massive payday for a lesser cost (€1,500, with €105 vig). On the other end of the spectrum, there will be two different High Roller events, one with a €10,000 (€300 fee) buy-in and a Super High Roller with a buy-in of €100,000 (no juice on this one!).
“The EPT Barcelona is where the poker world comes together,” Cedric Billot, the Associate Director of Live Events for PokerStars, stated during the schedule announcement. “It’s the stage where legends defend their status, new stars emerge, and unforgettable moments become part of poker history. Few destinations can match Barcelona in August. The city’s energy, atmosphere, and international appeal make it the perfect host for one of poker’s premier events.”
One of the unique tournaments on the schedule will be what is called “In the Money at 180,000.” Under the rules of this tournament, once you reach 180,000 in chips, you bag it up, and you are guaranteed a cash prize once Day 2 begins. This tournament costs €2,000 to enter (€200 juice) and has proven to be popular whenever it is run. “If you love our qualifiers, you’ll love In the Money at 180,000,” said EPT Tournament Director Toby Stone. “Hit 180,000 chips, instantly bag your stack and lock up a Day 2 cash. No bubble sweat. Just pure poker and action.”
For those who cannot make it to Barcelona to participate in the action, the PokerStars Live Stream will bring all the action to your computer (or smart TV). Through the PokerStars Twitch feed and Facebook channels, PokerStars Live will open for business on August 23 and broadcast for seven days. There will be a new specialized channel featuring the Portuguese language now being broadcast alongside the English, French, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian, and German language broadcasts.
Entertainment and History Draw Poker’s Denizens
Poker doesn’t always go as you wish, and PokerStars is aware of this fact in offering plenty of “other” entertainment for participants. Throughout the run of the EPT Barcelona, there will be chances to mingle with your fellow players off the felt. A Welcome Party will be held on August 18 and August 23, to catch those who are coming in for the later tournaments on the schedule. Karaoke evenings, trivia contests, and a special “Guess the Hand” competition will be held on August 26, offering a chance to blow off some steam for the players.
Because of its exotic location, excellent weather, and great action, the EPT Barcelona has been the centerpiece of the circuit since its creation in 2004. Casino Barcelona has played host to poker’s finest for over two decades now, and the Main Event has seen such players as Jan Boubli (2005), Sebastian Ruthenberg (2008), and 2024 champion Stephen Song emerge as the history-making 20th-anniversary champion. It is expected that the defending champion, Thomas Eychenne, will be back to defend his crown.
The EPT Barcelona has also been one of the biggest events on the schedule for several years. In 2025, 2,045 entries were received from 88 countries, which made last year’s event the third largest tournament in the history of the EPT. For the past three years, the winner of the EPT Barcelona Main Event has won a seven-figure Euro payday for their efforts. It promises to be an excellent festival of poker for all involved, and for the fans watching from far-flung locales. For more details on the EPT Barcelona, head over to the dedicated EPT Barcelona/PokerStars webpage for more information.
